Fade and Flare
by Pinku
Summary: Kagome, Japan's number one pop star, has fame, money, and a superstar boyfriend. All she wants is to be happy. All her overprotective manager Inuyasha wants, though, is her... How long can they last like this? Inu
1. 1: Dinner Date

Hi! I started writing this maybe a year ago and decided to breathe some life into it again, figuring it wouldn't kill me to just put it online somewhere. There -might- be some adult content in future chapters so in the situation that it happens I'll move it to somewhere appropriate like Mediaminer. Erm, enjoy?

Inuyasha is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi.

-----------------------------------

Fade & Flare

Part 1

The sweat on Kagome's skin cooled her underneath the bright, hot, stage lights. Her enigmatic voice echoed across a dark and rowdy stadium as she shook to the beat of the music. Her moves suddenly tightened and well-rehearsed steps were executed to the bridge of the song. Making sure to take a deep breath first, Kagome sang the last verse.

She did a final spin to punctuate the last notes of the song. Cheers and applause rained hard, as Kagome's shoulders sank and rose smoothly with heavy breathing. Blowing a kiss to her audience, Kagome heaved a breathless "Thank you! Good night everyone!" into her microphone and headed backstage. Screams for encore and residual cheering followed her and faded as she made her way to her dressing room.

Strands of inky hair clung to her face and exposed skin. Under calls of "Bravo!" and claps from the stage crew Kagome reached her dressing room, thanking people along the way. Closing the door behind her, her eyes moved to her mirror where an elaborate arrangement of sterling silver roses sat at the makeup table. Her lips spread in a thin smile, and suddenly a towel was clapped across her face. After some temporary disorientation she pulled the towel from the hands that held it, drying herself off. Exhaling heavily and sinking onto a chair to look at her flowers, she ran her fingertips across the petals. Kagome grinned and sighed, glancing up at her platinum-haired manager.

"You didn't go flat in the last verse of 'Monochrome Android' this time. Spectacular." He folded his arms, nodding in approval.

"Wow, almost nothing impresses YOU, Inuyasha." Kagome removed a rose from her bouquet, touching it to her nose. "God these smell so good," she whispered under her breath. "Who gave you the notion that it was a good idea to get these for me after every show? I've got five nights in just Osaka coming up and if I know you like I think I do it means that I'm going to be swimming in these."

Inuyasha smirked, tossing his hair back.

Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes. "Look, it's sweet, but reckless! These sterling silver ones cost ten times as much. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between these or regular white roses without smelling them."

Her manager snorted, giving her a heavy-lidded stare with topaz eyes. "You're practically royalty here. I'll be damned if you're not treated as such after all your hard work."

"I'm whatever my fans have made me, this conversation is getting old--"

"You're at the top of your game and soon we'll break through in America." Inuyasha picked up a hairbrush and started combing Kagome's hair. "You were fluent in English when we met. One of the things that's totally ruined anyone else who's tried to cross over is that they never learn to speak it well, you know."

Kagome began to play with the ribbons in her flower arrangement. "It doesn't matter what statistics say, Inuyasha, it's either I'm good enough to please the most discriminating market of all, or I'm not. Either way--"

Inuyasha's fingers closed around Kagome's hair as he brushed at the tips. "You write, compose, -and arrange- all of your own songs and can play five instruments."

"It's all about timing, too. 'Asian' is America's flavor of the month, what happens when that dies out again? By the way, stop cutting me off--"

"You choreographed all of your music videos and parts of this tour! Who the hell else does that?" Inuyasha's hands rested lightly on Kagome's shoulders as he finished her hair. Extending his claws, he pulled Kagome's collar down and scratched lightly across the back of her neck. "Face it, Kagome, you are a rarity: a real musician, and a real entertainer in every sense of the word. You deserve to be royalty."

"She's already a princess to me."

"Hojo!" Kagome sat up as her boyfriend entered the room.

"Hey there, Inuyasha. Hi Kagome." The man with bright eyes and short brown hair bent to kiss Kagome softly on the cheek. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Don't mind me, I'll leave you kids alone," chuckled Inuyasha. He started for the door but Hojo stopped him.

"No, don't worry about it." Hojo bent to drop another kiss, this time on Kagome's lips. "I have to go, we're not done shooting."

"What? Hojo, we were supposed to go out tonight." Kagome grabbed his pant leg, pulling him closer. She knew she was being a little selfish and unreasonable, but for the moment she just wanted to spend time with her boyfriend.

"Too bad," said Inuyasha as he shrugged. "TV star or not though, you shouldn't disappoint your woman. Besides, Japan's beloved 'Platinum Pair' wouldn't be much of a couple if they didn't, gasp, date once in a while."

Hojo tensed a little, a sad look flashing across his face. "I'm sorry Kagome. Please forgive me." Hojo brought his hands to Kagome's shoulders. "Inuyasha, I think you and Kagome of all people understand how important it is to be on top of your career in this industry." He turned to Kagome and kissed her hands. "I promise you, I'm going to make this up to you, okay? I always have, haven't I?" Kagome nodded.

Inuyasha chuckled a little bit. "Sorry, maybe I'm just a little overprotective of my number one act. The last thing I need to worry about is whether or not she's got a broken heart, she's stressed out enough."

"Inuyasha I know you're worried, but knock it off. I'll be okay." Kagome threw a ribbon at Inuyasha and Hojo turned towards the door.

"I'll call you, okay Kagome? After shooting."

"Just go home and go to sleep tonight, I don't want you tiring yourself out over me." Kagome stood up to hug him goodbye.

"Are you sure? Whatever you say. Love you." Hojo kissed Kagome once more on the cheek before turning to leave.

"See you later," Kagome yawned. She slumped hard, back onto her chair. Inuyasha walked towards the door.

"I'm gonna go join the festivities out there. Come out and play if you feel like it."

"Give me a little bit, I want to shower." Kagome waved goodbye as Inuyasha left her dressing room. Before she had the chance to think about it, she rested her head on her dressing table and fell asleep almost immediately.

-----------------------------------

She woke to darkness, her favorite wool coat draped over her, and the hum of an engine. Blinking a few times to get oriented with her surroundings, Kagome realized that she was in the passenger seat of Inuyasha's Porsche. Kagome shifted, turning to face Inuyasha as he drove before burying her head back into the seat.

"Where are we going?" Kagome sighed and yawned softly.

"My place near Shibuya. Early tomorrow is the sound check and rehearsal before the concert, so my place is closer--"

"I need to go home, I want a change of clothes, Inuyasha."

He smirked, moving his hand off of the stick shift briefly to rub Kagome's head. "—and like I was saying, after the concert we leave for Osaka that night. And I'm one step ahead of you, I sent Shippo and Sango over to your place for a few things."

Kagome shifted in her seat again, turning to look out the window. Her eyes fixated on the power lines overhead as the stars ran past them, blurring across the sky in a calm stream of light. Kagome twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. She hummed to herself quietly as Inuyasha changed lanes in the empty streets.

"I'll need some pajamas, too..."

Inuyasha smirked again. "I had them bring your gray ones." Kagome rolled her eyes; Inuyasha always did this. "...and you're probably going to want to go out with Hojo too, right? I had them bring your white sundress, the Chanel one."

"How'd you know?" Kagome glanced at Inuyasha. The moonlight illuminated his hair and softened his features, almost giving the illusion that Inuyasha was as gentle as the light that blurred the contours of his face. Kagome grinned, losing herself in staring at him. Though annoying at times, it was rare to have a manager as protective and attentive and Inuyasha.

"You always have a new white dress for when you haven't seen him in a long time. He's hot for it, you know; his heart beats faster when you're in white. If you didn't have a new one I would have had Sango pick up a few for you."

Oh, yes. Had it been mentioned that Inuyasha was protective, attentive, and most definitely annoying?

"Christ, Inuyasha, invade people's privacy much? Just because you're a youkai you have to go around listening to his heartbeat?"

"Bite me, Kagome, you think I like the boy's little palpitations echoing through my fucking head?"

"And what if I didn't feel like wearing white this time? Don't I have a say in what I wear on my own dates?" She bounced a crumpled gum wrapper off of her manager's face, and he scowled a little.

"Watch it, I'm driving."

Kagome stuck her tongue out, taking a fresh piece of gum. Once more she tossed its wrapper, and Inuyasha's eyes gleamed sadistically. Before anything could be said Inuyasha swerved suddenly to the side of the road, startling Kagome. Putting the car in park Inuyasha removed his seat belt and looked over to her. She gulped, laughing nervously. Inuyasha's grin stretched sharply across his face, and he moved, restraining and tickling Kagome.

"Inuyasha!!! Stop, augh, NO! NOOOO!" Kagome erupted into a fit of screeching, trying pathetically to wriggle from Inuyasha's grasp. She kicked wildly, laughing and screaming as Inuyasha showed no mercy.

"Freeze! What are you doing to that girl?!" A light was shined into the passenger's window over Kagome and Inuyasha. Outside of the window stood a pair of police officers who were coming from the neighborhood kouban. "Oh my God! It's Higurashi Kagome! Get out of the car, young man, you're going to jail!"

Inuyasha blinked. Kagome pushed him off of her, sitting up to speak to the police officer. "I think this is a misunderstanding, Sir," she laughed.

-----------------------------------

"Do you think it's okay, Inuyasha?"

"Keh, I'm telling you, the dress is hot." Inuyasha looked annoyed as he raised his gaze from his book. "If you're gonna whine about it just so I can tell you how hot you look five more times, don't even bother."

"Don't worry, Kagome-chan, you look stunning!" Kagome's raven-haired stylist and overall assistant folded her arms and stuck one hip out as she scrutinized, finally moving to center Kagome's diamond necklace on her neck. A white strapless dress complimented the cluster of diamonds hanging from its delicate platinum chain. The pendant hung a couple of inches over the hint of cleavage that the dress created. Inuyasha stole a glance at the cascading hem of Kagome's dress that started a little above her knees in the front and continued a few inches lower in the back. Layers of white chiffon and silk swished around Kagome's legs when she walked, flattering her calves. Her slightly tanned skin looked richer against the white fabric.

"You think so, Sango-chan? Inuyasha? Really?" Inuyasha knocked himself violently out of his thoughts, slightly frustrated for reasons he wasn't sure of.

"Yes--" started Sango, but Inuyasha growled and stood, tossing his book to the floor.

"Damn it, stay here." Inuyasha stormed out of the room and returned with a small, black velvet box in his hands. He tossed it at Kagome and returned to his chair. Retrieving his book he said, "That's for you, keep it. I was gonna give it to my last girlfriend, but she kinda... broke up with me before I had the chance to give it to her."

Sango paused her current train of thought, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Wait, is that what you begged me to pick up for you a couple of months ago?"

Kagome blinked, opening the box. Her breath caught in her throat as she fingered a diamond tennis bracelet. "Keep this? It's mine? Inuyasha, I can't, I don't know what to say..."

Sango took the bracelet, fastening it around Kagome's wrist. At that moment, Kagome realized who the bracelet was supposed to belong to. She had to find out by asking the staff at the record company, as well as Inuyasha's assistants. What was recalled from fragments of overheard phone conversations and what could be drawn from his assistants' various assignments was that whoever Inuyasha's girlfriend was, she was quite serious about their relationship. Kagome had no doubt that Inuyasha was a caring man in a relationship, but too wrapped up in his work for most women to handle. She wouldn't have even asked around about it, had it not been for the random August night when Inuyasha showed up on her doorstep claiming to be "in the neighborhood." That night, Inuyasha looked as if he had been crying for hours.

"Heh, don't worry about it Kagome, I figured it looks better on you than me."

Kagome laughed. "Well, thank you. I feel like I look perfect now." Draping a long, snow-colored silk scarf over her neck, she snatched her purse up in her hands and headed for the limousine outside.

-----------------------------------

Inuyasha waved goodbye to Sango as she drove away taking Inuyasha's and some of Kagome's dry cleaning with her. He retreated back to his study where he had spent most of the day. The floor was lined with thick, gray plush carpeting, and the walls were lined with maple bookcases. Two matching leather couches (the exact color of the carpet), and a recliner took up most of the space, which was also littered with a glass and steel computer desk and matching end tables. Just as the half-demon slumped down into his recliner the phone rang. With an exasperated grunt Inuyasha stood, spiking his book into his chair before picking up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Inuyasha, how are you this fine afternoon? I've got something sweet..."

"Oh, hey Miroku." Inuyasha walked to his desk, booting his computer. "Give me a minute, the Mac's not on." Long before Miroku ever started working with Inuyasha as Kagome's agent, he and the half demon worked as interns together at the same agency. Because of their work experience together, Inuyasha didn't have to ask what Miroku was talking about. He knew that Miroku's natural ability to bargain brought in yet another excellent opportunity for Kagome, and he trusted Miroku's choice in deals.

Miroku's calm laugh whispered through the receiver. "Inuyasha, when are you going to get a machine with an operating system that you actually like? While I'm quite happy with mine, I can't help but laugh at you..."

"Lay off," Inuyasha growled as he tapped a claw on his desk impatiently. "I haven't said anything today, I'm getting used to it. The program they've got for this thing does a lot better with organizing Kagome's schedule than my handwritten day planner ever could."

"...right. You and your ridiculous penchant for home décor. You're the only guy I know who uses a G5 just because it matches your office furniture." Inuyasha could clearly picture Miroku's eyes rolling as he spoke. "Well, I suppose with all of the hard work you've done with Kagome you've earned the ability to fuss over color swatches."

Inuyasha growled in response as he opened his scheduling program. He would take it to his grave that the real reason why his house was so color-coordinated was because Kagome decorated it herself. Inuyasha also hoped to never mention the fact that even his desktop wallpaper and screensaver matched the room's color scheme. "Just shut up and give me the details..."

"As you wish," Miroku laughed.

-----------------------------------

"I'm very sorry to bother you, but... my daughter is a big fan, after all..."

Kagome smiled warmly. Even though popularity was hindering and intrusive at times, she repeated the same mantra in her head: without the fans, there would be no career. "It's all right; I'm flattered you have my CD handy!" She took the album booklet and pen from the short, middle-aged man in front of her and tested the ink on her hand. "What is her name?"

"Eriko. Actually, I just bought this CD today, she begged me to buy it for her birthday."

"Even better," Kagome replied. She murmured the words as she wrote. "To Eriko: Happy birthday! Love, Higurashi Kagome." Kagome slipped the CD booklet back in its case and bowed slightly as she handed it back. "Thank her for me, please?"

"No, thank -you-!" The man bowed profusely as he continued down the street, and Kagome gave another short bow before she entered her limousine. She sighed as the door closed behind her.

Kagome's driver for the night was actually one of Inuyasha's assistants, Shippo. Though Kagome was very fond of the young fox youkai, she knew that sending him to be her chauffeur was just another way for Inuyasha to keep his fingers in her business. While Shippo cared deeply for Kagome he had a tendency to take Inuyasha's side in most matters. It was Kagome's suspicion that since Shippo was Inuyasha's only youkai employee, things were like this. Shippo's intrusiveness and strong opinions of Kagome's personal life was only second to Inuyasha's. Kagome and Shippo were often known to argue like siblings, but also cared for each other as such.

"If I were you, I would have at least eaten dinner." Shippo put on his turn signal, waiting for traffic to clear before he pulled away from the curb. "The food here rocks so much!"

"Sorry Shippo. If I would have stopped to think about it I would have boxed it up for you. I don't like to waste food, either." Kagome reached for a pillow from the seat facing hers, and curled up across the back of the car. She burrowed her arms and back into the seat, cuddling the pillow. "I guess I was a little distracted after Hojo left so suddenly."

"I don't believe they had to reshoot. How can ALL of the footage they shot be totally worthless? Someone's messing up big time there."

"Yeah," Kagome muttered. "But that's our life, isn't it?" A couple of tears escaped the corner of her eye. Kagome exhaled, laughing quietly to herself. "Even then..."

"...you miss him. This is really bad for you." Shippo honked in thanks to the driver who let him change lanes. "I have half a mind to go down to that studio and kick some ass."

Kagome sniffled. "I love you, Shippo," she laughed. "Just drop me off at Inuyasha's house, by the way. Looks like he sent me a couple of text messages about work."

"I was going to anyway. We're leaving for Osaka late tonight, remember?"

"I remember all too much," Kagome groaned. Today's brief break was over and tomorrow was back to the rhythm of morning rehearsals, sound checks, stage cues, and screaming fans. The thrill of the experience hadn't yet dulled for Kagome. After all, she loved her job. What she missed at times was the stability of someone to come home to after long days and nights. Normally a phone call to Hojo each night was enough for her to get to sleep but as Kagome's career progressed and the hours of work grew, the pair became increasingly distanced.

_I just want to see him..._ Absentmindedly Kagome reached into her purse, running her fingertips across the smooth plastic of her cell phone.

-----------------------------------

Inuyasha had managed to make a nice indentation in his leather recliner once he finished his phone conversation with Miroku. He had long since given up on finishing his book and laid back, taking in the view of the clouds through the room's skylight. It was a rare moment: he had nothing pressing to do. Wanton, cottony strands of white strayed lazily across deep azure in a silent lullaby. _I don't fucking believe this, _Inuyasha mused. The sky's rich shade of blue reflected off of the chrome and glass in the room, complimenting the décor. Through the skylight the sky looked brilliant against the light grays from the walls and ceiling. The combination of blue and sunlight illuminated the room so that it glowed. Dynamic shapes of the reflections from various objects: spots and sharp, angled, sinewy shapes glowed against everything in the room. The effect almost made the room look like as if it were underwater.

_Only She would think of that._ Inuyasha smiled, stretching a little. He filed this moment deeply into his mind. In this atmosphere crafted by the most talented girl he had ever met, it was calming and comfortable. It was home. He didn't want to move from that spot, ever. He didn't want the sun to move any further across the sky and spoil this serene moment.

The clouds mesmerized him once more. Inuyasha's eyelids drooped as he reveled in the warmth of the chair. There was nothing but the hum of a CPU fan and the whisper of a slight breeze outside as Inuyasha let himself be slowly lulled to sleep.

He exhaled. The wind whirred, no, was that the whir of an engine? His ears perked up; there was something familiar about that engine. The sound steadily grew louder before stopping outside of the house. The youkai sighed, rising out of his recliner, though reluctant to do so. Before he could make it to the entryway, the front door opened.

Kagome entered, clutching her purse and scarf together with both hands. Shippo followed, closing the door behind her, and bending to unfasten the clasps in Kagome's shoes. She smiled in thanks, while Inuyasha walked to the edge of the entryway, folding his arms. Kagome was avoiding his gaze; it was obvious what happened.

"On a good day it takes forty minutes to get to Chez Mario's, and you haven't even been gone two hours. Don't tell me..."

"Bastard had to go back and reshoot. Left Kagome before they even got their food," Shippo started, but Kagome responded by a swift elbow to Shippo' ribs.

"He can't HELP that, Shippo, it's fine." Kagome located her house slippers, and Shippo turned for the exit.

Inuyasha's nose twitched.

"Sorry, I know. I'll see you guys later, okay?" Shippo waved as he exited Inuyasha's house.

As Kagome started to slip her feet into her slippers, Inuyasha grabbed her shoulders abruptly. Kagome gasped, barely shuffling her feet into them as she stumbled forward. "Inuyasha! What are you doing?"

"Ssh." Inuyasha's hands slid up to cup Kagome's cheeks as he ran his eyes over her face. Kagome reflexively averted her eyes to the side, absentmindedly dropping her purse and scarf. She slowly flushed as Inuyasha's thumb brushed across her cheeks. She was suddenly aware of her heaving chest, and the slight tremble in her hands. Kagome steeled herself, raising her gaze once more.

Her eyes met Inuyasha's... nostrils. Which were at eye-level, flaring as he sniffed. Kagome sighed. "Hey. What are you doing?"

"You've been crying, haven't you?" Inuyasha finished his investigation with a loud sniff and then backed away to glare at Kagome. "He did this to you again?!"

"It's not like--"

"This is getting fucking ridiculous. I know he's got a job too, but he shouldn't even try to make plans with you if he expects this to happen! How come you have to jump through a damned hoop on a concert day to see him?" Inuyasha raised his hands, exasperated, and spun until his back was towards Kagome. She watched his long hair float back down around his shoulders as he walked away.

"If you've ever been in love with someone, maybe you'd understand the concept of wanting to see them! Even for a minute--" Kagome glanced at the bracelet Inuyasha had given her earlier and realized that she needed to stop talking, immediately.

Without any surprise to Kagome Inuyasha stopped walking and turned. Kagome didn't want to look him in the eyes, fearful of his reaction. She panicked, her eyes searched wildly around the room for an excuse to get away. They fell on her purse and scarf laying discarded onto the floor. Before Kagome could bend to pick them up, Inuyasha's feet came into view, stopping inches short of her own. She straightened, but still held her gaze at their feet. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha, I didn't mean anything by that. I was just --I don't know, I'm sorry-- just know that I didn't say that to be malicious..." Kagome already felt miserable enough and didn't want to spread her bad mood. The week was an excellent week in Tokyo with flawless concerts and great reviews, yet she couldn't help but feel horrible. _You idiot girl, quit acting like a spoiled brat when your life is so good!_

The tears came immediately after Kagome's mental protests and she tried hard not to acknowledge them. She balled her fists rubbing at her eyes as if they itched. One clawed hand gently pushed her hands away from her face while another brought a handkerchief up to dab at her cheeks.

"Just shut up already," Inuyasha soothed Kagome with his smooth voice. He handed her his handkerchief and pulled her into his arms. "Come on and let everything out now." His cheeks burned as he felt her small form stiffen at first but finally relax against his chest. Her heartbeats pounded in his ears until a sob finally escaped her lips. It took a few slight trembles after to make Inuyasha realize that Kagome was still trying to hold her tears back.

"What are you doing, Girl? Let it go."

He was answered with deep inhaling and slow exhaling. She was trying to let it out slowly.

"Stop that, dammit!" The grip on Kagome loosened and strong hands slid back, clamping around her arms for a moment. They ran gently up and down them reassuringly. Encouragingly. His eyes never left Kagome as her head lowered, pressing against his body once more as she finally sobbed freely, one hand sliding up to cling to his shirt. Her bare shoulders shook with every breath. Her grip on Inuyasha's shirt tightened. With a small shake of his head, Inuyasha's hair moved out of the way so that his gaze fixated on the bracelet hanging from Kagome's wrist. A familiar knot twisted in his stomach. He did his best to ignore it.

"I'm... sorry... I don't deserve to complain." Kagome whimpered. "This is just the price we pay, isn't it?"

Inuyasha brought his hands up to her back, leaning his head down towards hers. "You still deserve to have feelings, Kagome. Now let's wait for Sango to come back before we head out to the concert hall."

"Right," Kagome sniffled, smiling up at him.

"Wanna eat something?" Inuyasha said a little louder. "I can't promise you I cook as well as they do over at Chez Mario but I'm sure it'll be good anyway." Releasing her, he turned towards the kitchen and looked back at her over his shoulder.

"Thanks, Inuyasha. Sounds great."

-----------------------------------

Random Stuff:

A kouban is a police box-- a mini (usually one/two person, I think) police station in residential areas. The officers there know the everyone living in its surrounding area, and pretty much patrol the area. They're good to go to if you're lost, and if you're staying with someone in Japan it doesn't hurt to introduce yourself to the officer if the situation ever allows.

Thank you for reading! I'm kinda working on chapter two, so until then...


	2. 2: Past to Present

"Damn it Kagome, I already told you I had it packed."

"Are you sure? The Yves Saint Laurent gown from this year's Kouhaku performance? The halter one, not the mini."

Inuyasha sighed, signaling before turning a sharp left. "I'm SURE, because I saw hell the last time I forgot to pack one of your dresses." With a smirk he exhaled and ruffled Kagome's bangs. "I sent it with Sango when she took your other things to the bus, okay?"

Kagome leaned back into the passenger seat of Inuyasha's black Porsche. Nosing into the soft black leather she inhaled deeply; she loved the scent. As the car slowed to a stop at an intersection Kagome blinked up at Inuyasha, raising her finger to tap his nose. "Thanks." Her thin smile stretched delicately across her face as she brought her hand back down; she was always grateful for his help and wanted to show it.

"You... you're welcome." A subtle blush crept out from under silver bangs, and Inuyasha shifted gears before stepping on the gas pedal once more.

* * *

Her slippered feet padded across a beige plush rug. She didn't want to turn on the light just in case Inuyasha was asleep. Underneath fragments of moonlight shining in from between the blinds on the window Kagome crept in the narrow hallway of the tour bus to the next room, adjusting her short, white, silk nightgown. The bus' engine hummed softly, its sound slowly being drowned out as she reached Inuyasha. In a chestnut-colored leather chair he was slumped to one side with a book laying on his lap. A radio murmured in the background and the television was also on but muted, bathing the room in a dull blue light. _Ridiculous as usual,_ Kagome mused. Hoping not to wake him she stepped out of her slippers before entering the room and reached over to Inuyasha's bed, removing the blanket and draping it lightly over his sleeping form.

Kagome was slightly disappointed that she didn't have anyone to talk to; she couldn't sleep. Hojo's cell phone was probably turned off for the night. He was working anyway tonight, so there was no hope of calling him. She didn't hold it against him, nor did she hold it against Inuyasha that he was asleep. Just by being in his presence she felt secure; possibly in the same way that turning on the television often abated Inuyasha's loneliness. Reaching for the television's power button, Kagome pressed it and smiled over Inuyasha until she heard a familiar voice on the radio.

_Welcome back to _All Night Nippon_! This is Hojo, how do you do?_

"Hojo!" Kagome gasped. She hovered over Inuyasha's chair, listening intently.

_This is __Fukuyama__ Masaharu, and tonight my guest is television and movie star Hojo! So just as I mentioned before the break I'm envious of you, you've been dating one of _the_ sexiest women I've ever laid eyes on. _There was an awkward pause._ Whoops, that's a little forward, do you think she'll hear that? Is she listening right now? _

_I know she's not awake right now. She's on a tour bus to __Osaka_

_Ah, that's right. Wow, her tour's been sold out weeks in advance at every venue so far, isn't that right?. I have to say once more that while I usually envy no man, I have to hand it to you--_

_--she's really something, isn't she, Fukuyama-san?_

_God, yes! _There was brief silence._ Hojo-san... come here._ A sudden change of tone made Kagome raise an eyebrow.

_What? Hey! Fukuyama-san, what are you doing--_

Kagome blinked.

_If I kiss you, it'll be like an indirect kiss with her. Now, pucker up!_

_A-are you serious! Oh no, you ARE. Aaaa, help me, somebody!_ There were sounds of shuffling and perhaps a struggle. Kagome tried in vain to stifle her giggling as the pair muttered incoherently for a few seconds during their scuffle.

_But Higurashi-san is taken, so I don't have any hopes of kissing her!_

_I'm taken, too!_ Another pause.

_You're absolutely correct. Sorry, Hojo-san. Forgot myself for a minute. I envy... no man. Especially now, because I am beginning to recall that you may be in some hot water? You mentioned earlier that you treated her badly?_

_Yes, I'm a total jerk because we were supposed to get together and I had to cancel twice!_

_Twice?__ Boo! Hey, Hojo-san, that's no way to treat Higurashi Kagome, or ANY girlfriend! Guys, don't follow his example--_

_It was because of the upcoming drama I'm starring in! We're still shooting right now, but it's going to be on NHK this spring so please don't miss it; it's called _Just Before the Shot_. Don't make Kagome's suffering be in vain, everyone. Please watch it! Kagome-chan, I love you, I'm sorry!_

_Ha ha ha ha, that's the best advertisement for a drama I've ever seen! I'll be sure to watch._

_Don't kid with me Fukuyama-san, I know you were already a fan of the original manga so..._

Kagome sighed. With a soft pat on her manager's head she turned, heading back to the bedroom from which she came. The chatter of Hojo and Fukuyama's voices echoed through the darkened hall as she moved back to her room, hands pressed against either wall to steady her while the bus moved.

Without closing the door behind her she kicked her slippers off into the hallway, turning swiftly towards her bed. She fell face-down on top of her comforter, allowing the full force of her weight to fall with a soft bounce. Kagome felt the vibration from the bus' engine through the mattress, hoping that it, along with the murmur of Hojo's distant voice would lull her to sleep.

She never asked it of him, but Hojo was always diligent in telling her about the newest jobs he landed. Why hadn't Hojo at least mentioned where he would be tonight? Such abrupt behavior was uncharacteristic of him. For once, Kagome felt bad for taking Hojo's openness for granted. _All Night Nippon_ was a radio show that any fledgling star dreamed of being a guest on, Kagome and Hojo included. There were many nights when the couple had stayed up listening to it over late night candlelit dinners of instant ramen and Ebisu beer after a long day of rehearsals or auditions. Even back when Beat Takeshi hosted the show in the eighties a preteen Kagome and Hojo listened to it while on the phone together, giggling at its adult topics and swearing to their parents that they were busy studying.

_Maybe he just wanted me to get some rest. _Kagome rolled onto one side, clutching a portion of her comforter as if it were a doll. With a sigh, she reached towards the charging cell phone resting on a nearby pillow, running a fingertip softly across its glittery white surface almost as if it were Hojo. As if he would somehow feel her presence if she concentrated enough. Kagome heaved a lonely sigh, reaching absently for a pillow to hug. She could at least leave him a message. She grabbed the phone, flipping it open with her thumb and then pressing his number on speed dial.

Kagome mouthed the words of his message as it played: _You... you called! I feel so loved; I promise to get back to you. Wait for the beep!_

"Darliiiing," Kagome whispered. "You're still on the radio right now. I listened for a little bit. Now as I lay here in that _absolutely_ tiny nightgown you bought me... you know, the one with the super-thin straps and the little lace frills? I'll have your voice running through my head. Here's a little indirect kiss of my own: chu! Good night." Plastic clapped together as she hung up the phone, her sigh mingling with an exhale. Having left the message made her feel a little bit better.

She tried her best to smile and think happy thoughts; she was going to Osaka, after all! Despite people's general views that Osaka was an ugly, industrial city with nothing to do and see Kagome disagreed. She loved it and always looked forward to going there. Food and shopping were both cheaper, and the people were friendlier there in comparison to sterile, suffocating, and materialistic Tokyo. It was also a hop away from another one of her favorite cities, Kyoto. When she expressed her general love for these cities in the Kansai region on television, other celebrities poked a little bit of fun at her. Paired with the fact that Kagome's childhood home was a Shinto temple, Kagome was given the nickname, _Kansai no Miko_-- Priestess of Kansai. She didn't mind the distinction.

Kagome rolled to one side of her bed, reaching into her purse. Digging into it and unzipping a small pocket she retrieved a silver charm bracelet, adorned with a couple of skulls and foreign letters, h and t. Slipping it back on for old time's sake a goofy smile spread across her face. She would never publicly let on about one of her favorite reasons to go to Osaka...

* * *

_It seemed as if it were decades ago when Kagome had skipped school and hopped a train to __Osaka__. Mondays were perfect for her to get away without being noticed-- she had after-school clubs and cram school, not returning until late at night. Leaving Tokyo would still get her home a lot later than usual but Kagome was banking on the fact that her mother and grandfather would stick to their routine of retiring in their rooms for the night before she returned home, putting her in the clear._

_Kagome would not have gone to __Osaka__ in September of 1998 if not for the fact that her favorite band, L'Arc-en-Ciel, had a tour date there. She became frantic as she learned that their __Tokyo__ dates were sold out only seconds before she was able to get through to the ticket vendor's phone, which was ringing off the hook on multiple lines. __Osaka__ was the next best thing and she jumped for it-- the ticket was a floor seat thirty-three rows back, but it was all she could afford. At least she would be there._

_As Kagome left the train station she studied the map she brought with her, rushing on foot to Osaka-jo Hall. It was already well past time for seating to begin and she regretted not bringing another outfit other than the school uniform she was wearing. In hindsight she would have worn a band t-shirt under her school clothes; maybe a pair of cutoff shorts underneath the long skirt of her uniform too, but it was too late to worry. Her footsteps quickened. As she finally reached a riverside walkway in front of the concert hall she noticed a middle-aged couple searching the ground around their feet. Inwardly Kagome flinched-- she was so late! Despite the urgency she couldn't avoid their troubled looks as they spun around again and again, faces scanning the asphalt and dirt below. Her grandfather's upbringing showed during times like this._

_"He'll be so disappointed if we don't show up! This is an important night, Dear."_

_"I realize that… But I think it'll be okay if we just show our IDs."_

_"Well, it couldn't have gone far."_

_"Um, excuse me," Kagome interrupted. She bowed slightly, one hand behind her head. "Can I help in some way? Did you drop something?"_

_The couple looked at Kagome for a second, a little surprised but grateful. The wife spoke. "Sorry to bother you… you seem to be in a hurry, too. I'll be brief. It's a blue laminated badge on a beaded chain… it must be in these plants here, somewhere…" Kagome couldn't help but stare; the woman couldn't have been any older than in her late fourties but her face was unusually vibrant and pretty. Kagome shook herself out of her thoughts._

_"Right."__ Kagome inwardly kicked herself, anguished for failing to simply mind her own business. She dropped to her knees, scanning the ground with her eyes and fingertips. A gleam of metal at the edge of the walkway caught her eye. Sure enough, a beaded chain was hanging off of the bottom of the railing, in danger of falling into the river. Kagome retrieved it, squealing victoriously. The high school student fleetingly noted that the logo on the badge was quite trendy-looking as she smiled at the older woman._

_The woman blinked, then smiled in relief and bowed. "Well, I wish I had time to properly thank you, but it seems that all of us need to be somewhere. Take care!"_

_"Right," Kagome answered, waving to the couple. As she spun around to run, some loose shoelaces from her right foot were caught underneath her left. Without missing a beat Kagome sunk to the ground almost smoothly, barely managing to avoid a sprained ankle as her body lost its balance. She fell hard on her knees, landing perfectly face-down; the concrete and gravel hissed under her as she slid forward a little, pain burning in her knees and chin as the skin broke._

_"Oh! Young Lady, are you--"_

_"I'm fine!" Kagome leaped back up with superhuman speed, bounding up a nearby flight of stairs leading to the concert hall. The screams of the audience were already coming from inside of the building. The concert had started and Kagome prayed that she would make it to her seat at least before the first song began._

* * *

It doesn't matter… I was there, and THEY were there, and I heard every note. _Kagome repeated these thoughts on her way out of the hall. The performance was spectacular. Kagome thankfully reached her seat as the first notes of the first song played, and proceeded to spend the next two hours with a chin that stung every time she opened her mouth to sing along... directly behind the tallest Japanese man she had ever seen. She suspected that she would later regret the exorbitant price she paid for her concert ticket, but desperately repeated these few good aspects of the experience to herself: No regrets. She made it there. She breathed the same air as the band did. The flesh-colored dots on stage, meters and meters away had definitely been L'Arc-en-Ciel._

_The sting in Kagome's chin and knees were amplified under sticky, humid air when she descended stairs towards the same riverside walkway she passed earlier, clutching a small bag of tour merchandise to her chest. A few paces away from the stairs her cell phone rang. Kagome was startled as she set her newly-purchased merchandise at her feet, digging around her school bag for the phone. Before she answered, she noticed the message saying, "36 missed calls" on the LCD screen. She inwardly cringed._

_"Hello--"_

_"KAGOME, why aren't you home yet!"_

_"Mama, I went to an arcade with Eri…"_

_"Eri?__ She called for you a while ago! Where did you really go? Why are you lying to me?"_

_"Mama…"_

_"Kagome, if you can't even tell me where you are what will I do if something happens to you? I promise I won't get mad, just say where you are."_

_"You promised, Mama, remember that. Now, keep in mind that __Osaka__ isn't too-"_

_"YOU'RE IN __OSAKA__ AT THIS TIME OF THE EVENING--" Kagome flinched and hung up on her mother. She turned off her cel phone, too. There was no doubt about the fact that she would be as good as dead once she returned._

The concert was awesome, _her thoughts asserted. Kagome balled her fists, stubbornly kicking at the ground. It would be worth…_

_Worth it..?_

_Kagome's eyes practically bugged out of her head as she felt her foot meet with something pliable.__ Pristine white plastic waved in the wind as if it were waving goodbye to her while it jumped back, plummeting steadily towards the water. Her shopping bag landed with a slight splash and then weaved back and forth as it wove with the waves in the river below, mockingly waltzing out of sight at an agonizingly slow pace._

_No souvenirs remained of a catastrophic night except memories and the potential growth of scar tissue._

_Her memories of beautiful music, cool pyrotechnics, and the intensity of the band were quickly becoming overshadowed by her burning chin (she hoped it wouldn't scar badly) and knees. The fear of facing her mother once she returned home became more of a reality. Her heart sank; she wished for it to sink into the river with the only physical evidence that she even enjoyed a second of her ordeal. In a last act of betrayal tears sank down Kagome's cheeks and she elicited a choked sob when they met with the injured chin. Her tightly-gripped pride stung fittingly; simultaneously with the water and salt gliding into her wound, collecting at its apex before dripping away._

_She allowed herself to sob freely. This was her punishment for lying, she ruefully decided. With both hands fisted in her bangs Kagome sank to her heels hiccupping and sniffling. When a hand rest on her shoulder she jumped, completely off-guard._

_"Young Lady, are you all right?"_

_"Oh! Hello again," Kagome quickly straightened and rubbed her tears away as she recognized the woman she had helped earlier. Behind her followed the silhouettes of her husband and a younger man, probably their son, against a darkening sky. "Good evening," she mustered still sniffling. She fixed her gaze on her feet and bowed politely, idly wondering why the son would wear sunglasses at night._

_"Are you still in a hurry? Maybe now I can properly thank you for your help earlier…"_

_"No, no, that's really not necessary. I actually need to get home."_

_The woman smoothed Kagome's hair against her back. "Even if I could buy you a snack…"_

_"I'm sorry." Kagome replied, too embarrassed to look into the woman's eyes. "I live in __Tokyo__, so I really must be heading to the train station before I get into more trouble. I only came here for a concert, you see…"_

_"Don't tell me you came all the way from __Tokyo_by yourself _to go to that silly L'Arc concert!" a new voice chimed in. The man whom Kagome figured to be the woman's son stepped into view._

_"I see now. That explains everything," The woman laughed._

_"Mom," the young man started to chuckle._

_"'Silly L'Arc concert!'"__ Kagome shot back to the woman's son without thinking. "Let me tell you something: I cut class, endured several hours on a train among a handful of old perverts in business suits,_ injured myself _after stopping to help your parents and got to the concert late, sat thirty-three rows back, and then spent the majority of it unable to even see on account of the fact that Godzilla happened to have the seat directly in front of me. And now… NOW I've used my last bit of spendable cash on tour goods that ended up THERE," Kagome exclaimed, pointing frantically at a white spot in the river. "and even through all of this, the concert was the best thing ever!" She could feel it, she was near tears again. Kagome sighed, meeting the man's gaze as he removed his sunglasses. "I'm sorry. I'm the one who decided to come here. I don't mean to push my bad mood onto…"_

_She could find no words then, only gaping in disbelief at him._

_He smiled at her, draping an arm over his mother's shoulder while his father remained a few steps back, smiling._

_"I… I…" Kagome was certain she had completely lost her mind. Her knees weakened. "You're… you're…"_

_"That little trinket you found was my mother's backstage pass. We've had people try to impersonate my parents before so they wouldn't have been able to come see me without it, I'm indebted to you."_

_"YOU'RE," Kagome began to exclaim, clutching a hand to her chest as if to stop her heart from jumping out. The man's eyes grew a little large as he looked around and then gestured for her to lower her voice. "You couldn't be…" Kagome babbled, bowing her head slightly in apology and glancing around as well. "Why would you be walking around out in the open…"_

_"This_ is _my home town, after all. I assume you already know that they call me hyde, but please… call me Hideto. Takarai Hideto."_

_Kagome could only gape and bow. "I couldn't!" Why didn't she recognize his voice? She gaped at the familiar contours of his face. Her heart pounded, her thoughts slowly wrapping around the realization that this was the owner of a wonderful voice that brought her to tears, sang her to sleep, and made her smile when she needed it. The vocalist of L'Arc-en-Ciel, who always stared back at her with alluring eyes through posters and videos without ever knowing her face, bore into her now with a soft gaze, full of mirth. She stared at his short mahogany-colored hair that had been spiked during the concert, peeking out from beneath his black hoodie. She blinked, her eyes travelling down to his famed barbed wire necklace, loosely wrapped around his neck._ It's... it's really him! _His thin form stood casually in worn black jeans and his famous black boots with a slightly raised heel, hips slumped forward just as in his magazine shoots._

_"You absolutely could." Hideto reached into his pocket, retrieving a handkerchief to wipe Kagome's face with. "If you would like to join us for dinner, perhaps I could call your mother?"_

_Kagome fell to her knees, only to be helped back up by Mrs. Takarai. "I'm going to regret this for the rest of my life, but if I miss the train tonight... Oh, what should I do? Mama will only get alarmed and scared when a strange man calls her…"_

_"You seem to be panicking on the outside but on the inside you're still level-headed!" Hideto laughed, removing his wristlet. "If you'd like, we could arrange a way for you to get home, but..." He took Kagome's trembling hand. With his left hand he gripped hers delicately and pressed the bracelet of skulls and his initials into her palm with his other. "Well, take this. Either way, think of it as a promise to meet again when _I _get back home to __Tokyo__…"_

* * *

Kagome smiled a little at the memory, but groaned. Too many things were running through her mind; she would never get to sleep at this rate! "Can't be helped." She rolled out of bed, putting her slippers back on as she reentered the hallway. While it made her feel happy to hear Hojo's voice, she realized that the radio was keeping her awake. As Hojo and Fukuyama chattered she stopped in the narrow walkway, pulling up the blinds to stare at the moon hanging in a clear sky. Being away from major city lights made the stars more visible. Watching the sky always calmed Kagome. It was the one true constant in her life: no matter what happened to her the stars would always be there, shining indifferently to the sum of all worldly things.

Her reverie came to a halt when she heard apprehension in Hojo's voice on the radio.

_I don't think we should--_

_Don't give me that, Hojo-san, why did you even mention that she called? Your cel phone has been sitting out on the table all night like that..._

Hojo paused.

_I, uh... oh well, it can't be too bad... Kagome-chan isn't lewd or anything like that, and her messages are always so cute..._

Kagome gasped. She wanted to bang her head on the wall.

_This is certainly an _All Night Nippon_ exclusive... an actual voice mail from Higurashi Kagome to Hojo! Here we go._

The distant tone from pressing buttons on Hojo's cell phone could be heard. Kagome held her breath. She was completely floored at Hojo's inaction, yet also realized that it would be more scandalous to angrily protest on the air. She was particularly surprised that Fukuyama would initiate something like this.

_Darliiiing__, you're still on the radio right now. _

Kagome wanted to run away. She wanted to curl up in a ball and die of embarassment.

_I listened for a little bit. Now as I lay here in that _absolutely_ tiny nightgown you bought me... you know, the one with the super-thin straps and the little lace frills? I'll have your voice running through my head. Here's a little indirect kiss of my own: chu! Good night._

Silence followed, but only for a brief second.

_HOJO-SAN, I thought you said she was sleeping! She heard me say all of those things!_

_It's your own fault, Fukuyama-san, you shouldn't speak so freely on nationally-broadcasted radio when you know anyone could hear..._

_Well, yeah, yeah, color me embarassed. But never mind that, what is this I hear about a tiny nightgown? Y-you know what I said before, Hojo-san?_

_What are you talking about?_

_I. Envy. You. Ridiculously. You and Higurashi Kagome, and tiny nightgowns, and cute little phone messages... I am completely jealous, and I bet there are thousands of listeners out there who feel the same way._

_I, uh, thank you, I guess..?_

By now Kagome was convinced that her heart had stopped. She could feel the blood burning through her cheeks. She sank to the ground, pressing her palms to her face.

"...FUCK! I'll fucking kill both of them!" Kagome gasped. Oh, no. She forgot about him. Above her stood Inuyasha, clawed hands gripping both sides of the door frame as he narrowed his sleep-clouded eyes.

"Dammit Kagome, I was hoping you weren't awake to hear that. God DAMN him, what the hell was he thinking!"

Kagome's stunned gaze could only bore into the glinting yellow of Inuyasha's eyes. She shook her head as the show went to another commercial. Inuyasha stood her up, escorting her back to her room. Placing one arm protectively around Kagome's shoulders he squeezed her. "I'm sorry you had to hear that," Inuyasha tried to soothe.

"Don't talk as if you're the one responsible, Inuyasha," Kagome smiled for him, but he knew how shaken she was feeling. With a placating hand on her back he lightly pushed her into her room. Waiting for Kagome to remove her slippers before entering he closed the door behind her, and then turned back towards his room.

Kagome stood in her room, unmoving for a moment. As she slowly began to step towards her bed her cel phone rang. It could only be one person. She let her phone ring a little bit before moving to pick it up.

"Kagome?"

She remained silent.

"Kagome, it's me."

Kagome finally sighed. "If you're going to ask if I heard it... I... I just..."

"Look, we were being pressured. There was a guest who didn't show up, and both Fukuyama-san and I weren't feeling too comfortable with doing this--"

"HOJO," Kagome interrupted, shaking, still embarassed. "I know, I KNOW that you and I are always in the public eye, I know and I understand that a lot of the reason that we're so popular is because we are a together, but..."

"I know, Kagome-chan, as soon as we did it I wanted to kick myself."

"How do you think I feel, hearing myself say something so personal on the air! That was a message for you only. I want to talk to Fukuyama-san."

"Kagome-chan, please, Honey,"

"NOW." Kagome was a little surprised at how angry her voice sounded when it came out. There was a pause then, and Kagome let out a shaky breath before Fukuyama got on the phone.

"Hello? Is this Higurashi-san?"

"Never again," Kagome said, her voice firm and straightforward.

"Higurashi-san, I'm sorry to have to speak to you for the first time in a situation like this... All of those things I said on the air, I really do mean it, I think you're wonderful, beautiful--"

"Honestly I'm not in a mood to hear about how sexy you think I am, Fukuyama-san. And I know a public apology would just draw more attention to this; I just want you to know that I'm really disappointed. Joking around is one thing, and making a fool of ourselves for television or radio shows is another thing, but you of all people should know how important it is to not let the lines between our public and private lives blur."

"...I understand, Higurashi-san. I'd better go, we're coming out of a commercial."

"I'd like to meet with you some time when all of this is behind us, Fukuyama-san. Maybe then I'll be in a mood to be flattered," Kagome whispered.

He paused a little, obviously taken aback. "Y-You're an angel," he laughed, before ending the call.

Kagome groaned, seemingly for the millionth time that night. She noticed that Inuyasha had shut his radio off, his room finally silent. Diving back onto her bed, she grabbed for the cord to her charger, plugging it back into her cell phone. The young woman lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling. She traced her eyes down over her legs, noting that she would need to work out a bit once the tour ended. Her eyes moved away from her legs, her stares shifting about her compact bedroom. It lingered on a picture frame, and then darted back to a window where the sky peeked out from under the blinds.

"I... am NEVER getting to sleep, am I?" Kagome rolled out of bed yet again and shuffled out of her room, intent on bugging Inuyasha for a bit.

* * *

**Notes:**

In case you don't know, Fukuyama Masaharu, _All Night Nippon_, hyde, L'Arc-en-Ciel, their tour in 1998 ("Light My Fire/Haato ni Hi wo Tsukero!") and even the September Osaka tour date on a Monday (and Tuesday, actually... not that I went) are all real. Not that you need to know that in order to enjoy this fic, though.

Something you might want to keep in mind is that Japan tends to... eh... terrorize their celebrities on the air, at times. It's not uncommon to see certain stars making fools out of themselves as a human bowling ball knocking down giant foam bowling pins, or TV hosts jokingly hitting celebrities, or singers showing their cooking "skills" and subjecting TV hosts to horrible concoctions... etc.

Thanks for reading! Until next time...


	3. 3: Rehearsal

Hi again! With the new chapter I've done a little drawing of Kagome in her rehearsal clothes this time around. You can see it in my MediaMiner art-gallery-thing or just directly here:

Www (dot) mediaminer (dot) org (slash) fanart (slash) view (dot) php (slash) 173055

On with the story.

* * *

The doorknob clicked. It turned slowly before a door opened, and a slight rush of cool air spread into her room. Slippers flapped against a wall in the hallway, kicked off, and Inuyasha's footsteps traveled softly across white plush carpet, halting at the edge of Kagome's bed. Milky white textured wallpaper warmed the gentle hues of the room. Though shadows from the blinds were stretched across the room and cast over Kagome's face in lines that curved over her cheeks, the room was not dim. She slept as if under a blanket of diffused light, only accented by her cloud of dark hair, a couple of small mahogany picture frames on the wall, and the dark green stems of lilies that rest in a nearby crystal vase. Inuyasha's breath quickened as he beheld the sight. 

To all of these things Kagome was completely oblivious. The young woman rolled onto her side, tangled in the bliss of dreamless sleep and warm white flannel sheets. Her white down comforter had slid almost completely off of the foot of her bed, barely hanging on a corner as its majority lay in a pile on the floor.

He stood over her a moment, peering over her shoulder. When her face was tranquil like this, he felt calm inside; it had been such a rarity lately. His lips parted slightly as he stood mesmerized with her breathing, her ribs gently expanding and contracting, slow sighs escaping from her pink lips. His mouth ran dry as his eyes wandered, appreciating her delicate collarbone, the rich hue of her skin, the devastating curves of her hips... Kagome's nightie was bunched up a bit around her waist, the edge of pink panties just barely peeking out from beneath the sheer fabric and clinging to her butt, legs spilled out of the nightie and entwined with sheets. Inuyasha gulped, swallowing with substantial difficulty. _This is the reason I get paid the big bucks,_ he joked to himself.

He felt guilty for what he was about to do but knew it was impossible to avoid. A hand raised and his claws gingerly ran over the edge of Kagome's nightie. For a minute he saw himself as a youkai in Feudal Japan, pillaging a castle that Kagome would have lived in, kidnapping her for his bride. No candy-ass human could have done a damned thing about it, five hundred years ago. Stupid modern society. Stupid consideration for others!

_Quit the fucking daydreaming! _ he admonished mentally. He tugged at Kagome's nightie with just a little force, making sure it covered as much of her rear as possible. With a final, steady exhale he moved his hand to Kagome's shoulder and took a seat on her bed near her head. His hand gently roused her, loosely cupped against her skin and rubbing her shoulder in slow circles.

"Hey. Kagome, time to get up."

She stirred a little, whining sweetly in protest. Inuyasha's ministrations sped up. He watched her face guiltily as her eyelids fluttered, still too heavy to withstand the weight of daylight. Her lips wilted into a pout as she slowly awakened.

Kagome stared up at Inuyasha, slightly disoriented. Still not fully awake, her breath caught in her throat at the sight of his wild mane of white hair, messy from sleep, cascading across his bare chest. The edges of his locks brushed his lap as they hung down, highlighted against the red fleece fabric of his pajama pants. The waistband rested low on his waist. Kagome bit her lip a little as she stared at his chiseled stomach, still slightly dazed and also amused at how the shape of his navel flattened as he sat. Was he shirtless last night? _No, he wore a wifebeater_, she remembered. A sudden urge came over her as she moved to sit up, messily resting on her elbow as she turned to face him. She shoved her index finger slightly into Inuyasha's distorted belly button, sticking her tongue out at him.

"G'morning," she mumbled, amused when Inuyasha jumped and uttered a surprised shriek. Kagome grinned a little. "You never told me you were ticklish there." With a satisfied yawn she sat up fully.

"Why would I tell you something like that? You obviously can't be trusted with that information." Helping her to stand, Inuyasha held both of her arms for support. Kagome leaned heavily into Inuyasha, regretting how late she stayed up last night with him playing poker. How many hours of sleep did she finally manage? Five? Hopefully six? Not enough, either way.

"What time is it?"

"Mnn.. seven A.M. or so."

Kagome groaned. A little over two hours of sleep. She sank back down onto the side of her bed, slumping a little. "You stupid youkai and your... your lack of need for much sleep!"

"I'm only a hanyou, remember. Half."

"Yeah, great, you're half, which means you still probably got twice as much sleep as I did. Ugh." Kagome would have sunk back down to the bed if Inuyasha wasn't holding her torso in an upright position.

"Oh no you don't. Get your sorry ass up and get ready, the others are already waiting to start rehearsals."

"Wait, we're not checking into the hotel yet?"

"That's going to be taken care of while you guys work, we're a little short on time today. So wake up!"

Kagome nodded in acknowledgement. "Argh, why didn't I choose a career where I could call in sick?" she half-joked.

"You're kinda grumpy this morning, aren't you?" Inuyasha laughed. "Keh." He stood, leaving the room for a moment. When he returned he was annoyed to see that Kagome had laid back down. The hanyou rolled his eyes and took a seat at the head of her bed. With strong, succinct movements he pulled her towards him, sitting her up again with her back facing him. Kagome slumped, small sounds of protest stumbling out of her lips until he growled at her.

With that, she stiffened considerably. Inuyasha meant business. Inuyasha placed one hand on Kagome's shoulder and reached for the brush that he retrieved from another room. Kagome sighed happily when he ran the bristles through her wild black hair, carefully and gently untangling the knots. The sun, continuing to filter in through the blinds, warmed a bit as the two sat there in peace; Kagome smiling slightly as Inuyasha brushed quietly. She frowned a little when he stopped, but she was now awake... enough, at least.

Inuyasha stood, walking out of the room. "Unless you expect me to dress you I suggest you get up and move around a bit. I'm getting dressed and getting some breakfast."

"Yeah, yeah," Kagome sighed as she watched Inuyasha close the door behind him.

* * *

Anyone who was one of Kagome's seasoned road crew members knew to fear the fact that she practically rolled out of the tour bus. As a way of stubbornly fighting fatigue she wore clothes that made her feel good: her favorite low-rise jeans with lace accents and a slightly fitted white tank top with screen-printed dark text that asserted, _JOIN the ROCK ROLL ARMY_. Sango and Inuyasha sat in folding chairs next to a small white plastic circular table, sipping coffee and nibbling off of a tray of various breads. They looked at each other and laughed as the crew collectively winced upon Kagome's arrival. Kagome pretended not to notice the crew's reaction.

To anyone who wasn't familiar with Kagome's work habits, it only seemed as if she were incredibly dedicated to her work. Those who had suffered her brand of pain before, however, understood that Kagome was the worst, the _absolute worst_ taskmaster when she was dead tired. It was as if depriving her of sleep made her stronger; she was likened to a demon or a lioness.

She became the ultimate perfectionist, intent on repeating and repeating everything, until it was flawless. Every note, every dance step, and every cue would be rehearsed until it became a reflex for all involved. She would not allow mistakes and in turn, no last-minute surprises. When Kagome was dead tired, she made sure that everyone else would be dead tired at the end of the day. In truth, it was only because she wanted her sleep to be completely uninterrupted before the concerts.

Most knew they had precious minutes before Kagome would start to work them into the ground. Their boss in question was heading towards Inuyasha and Sango, her mouth watering at the bread.

"Morning, Kagome-chan," chirped Sango. Inuyasha raised a hand in salutation.

Kagome nodded her head in greeting to Sango but went straight to the business at hand as she stole a sip of Inuyasha's coffee. Her nose wrinkled as the bitter taste clashed with the flavor of her toothpaste. "Ichigo-pan, ichigo-pan, which one is the ichigo-pan?" Inuyasha smirked. Reaching into a small, mint-colored checkered bag on the edge of the table he held out the strawberry flavored bread to Kagome, who wasted no time attacking it in cute, ravenous nibbles. "Sango-chan," Kagome mumbled in between bites, "I didn't know you were coming to Osaka with us!"

Sango raised an eyebrow. "Kagome-chan, please. Miss _Kansai no Miko_ loves everything about this city, and naturally," she batted Inuyasha's hand out of the way to grab the last slice of melon-pan, much to his annoyance. "Naturally, she is going to want to shop, am I right?" Sango bit into it, ignoring Inuyasha's annoyed growling. She twirled the hand holding her bread in circular motions, accenting her words with each turn of the wrist. "So naturally, you're going to have to go to some stores for that, but if I know you like I do, you're going to feel too guilty to ask them to close for you even though you'll be swamped with fans as usual, and this is where your stylist comes in." Sango yanked the melon bread to her mouth, only moments before Inuyasha could snatch it away from her. "I have no qualms with calling up Hysteric Glamour or Betty's Blue and abusing your closing power."

Inuyasha grudgingly settled for the last piece of curry-pan. Not that he hated curry-pan. Kagome leaned in towards him, smiling as she stole a small bite. "Does Osaka even have a Betty's Blue boutique?"

"We'll find out eventually, won't we?" Sango laughed.

"Keh!" Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Even if Kagome weren't paying you to be here, you'd come in a heartbeat to shop with her, wouldn't you?"

Kagome blinked. Sango joined her. "I'm _not_ getting paid for coming here, Inuyasha. Obviously, Kagome-chan was surprised to see me so obviously I wasn't needed. We've got outfits picked out for the entire tour already, so my work is done in that department. And you know as well as I do that Kagome-chan isn't one of those self-centered types who needs a stylist to pick out her damned socks," Sango squeezed Kagome's arm and smiled.

With one hand behind his head Inuyasha bowed his head, apologizing. "Uh. Then you see my point..."

Kagome laughed, giving Sango's arm a small squeeze back. "I'm terrible without Sango-chan's sense of style to properly guide me!"

Sango laughed, leaning her head on Kagome's shoulder. "Hah, I don't know what you're talking about, Kagome-chan. The day you learn to sew is going the be the day I'm out of a job."

"As long as Kagome has a career, we're family," Inuyasha laughed. "She'll be too busy to learn how to sew."

"I'd like to hope that we'd all be one big family, even after my career is over," said Kagome a little softly. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys, and I'm not talking about work-wise..."

The three sat together in silence then, a soft smile across each of their faces. Sango finally spoke.

"Leave it to Kagome-chan to make me a little misty-eyed this early in the morning." Sango touched Kagome's arm as she spoke. "Anyway, I think if you sit here with us any longer the dancers are going to think they're off the hook for the day.

"Oh! Almost forgot about them," Kagome blurted out, quickly finishing Inuyasha's coffee.

"Hey!" He was getting a little sick of beautiful women stealing his food today.

"Ah, sorry!" Kagome paused briefly, pointedly taking a second to smile at Inuyasha. "Thank you for remembering my ichigo-pan."

"'And thanks for getting me awake on time this morning, Inuyasha-sama! Oh, and thanks for brushing my hair because I was still too retarded to move...'" Inuyasha spoke in a falsetto voice, mimicking Kagome.

Kagome's eyes bugged out of her head. She hoped the crew wasn't listening. They were.

"Damn, Inuyasha!" Sango exclaimed, reaching for more coffee. "You'll make a wonderful wife someday. Wanna be mine?"

"Screw you," Inuyasha retorted, "I've got my hands full with Kagome and we haven't even consummated the 'marriage.' Are all of you damned women this high-maintenance?"

Kagome laughed, her cheeks slightly reddening. "Who knows, but how many can pay you as much as I can?"

"Kagome-chan, are you implying that Inuyasha's a whore?!" Inuyasha nearly choked on his bread when he heard Sango, and in turn Sango spit out her coffee as she laughed. The blush on Kagome's face deepened, and soon all three were in stitches, laughing hysterically.

* * *

"Yuri-chan, if we can do this in three tries, I'll..."

"She'll _not_ fire you," Inuyasha interrupted, glaring at the dancer standing apologetically in front of Kagome.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed. "Yuri-chan, don't listen to him. You're a great dancer and that's why you're with us."

A slim eighteen-year-old with bleached shoulder length hair and darkly tanned skin folded her hands as she stared at the ground, flattered yet ashamed to be berated by Inuyasha. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha-san. Higurashi-san, you don't need to be so kind to me..."

"Keh." Inuyasha was shoved away by an annoyed Kagome.

"Inuyasha, you go take a seat and _shut up_. Know your place!"

"Know my place?! Listen up, Bitch, you--" Half of the dancers gasped until Kagome raised her hands to calm them down.

"He's an inu youkai--"

"I'm only half, I'm a hanyou--"

"Inuyasha _sit!_" Kagome commanded, pointing to him and then to a folding chair. Too tired for his attitude she turned back to the dancers, trying her best to muster a placating tone. "For those of you who don't seem to remember, Inuyasha, the operative part of his name being _Inu_, is a dog youkai. 'Bitch' is only a natural part of his vocabulary--"

"Hanyou!!" Inuyasha folded his arms, glaring at nobody in particular.

The singer's eyes grew large as she swallowed a scream. Forget explanations, those who didn't know would learn eventually. "This is irrelevant, never mind. Yuri-chan, don't be so humble. Let's focus a little bit and we'll call it a day. Dai-kun, Takeo-kun, and Michi-chan, do this part with me because I want Eriko-chan to recognize the cue." Kagome began to demonstrate footwork that the pair had been practicing, the other three dancers taking their places on either side of her as they caught up. "Now here, on the fourth beat if you shift your weight to the left hip, this will come a lot easier."

The younger, shorter woman had a thoughtful expression on her face. She repeated Kagome's steps a little slower for clarification, following her advice. Her face brightened along with Kagome's when finally she made no mistakes. "Thank you, Higurashi-san, that's just what I needed!"

"I want it perfect by Showtime. And with that... I think we're done, folks!" Kagome wiped a little bit of sweat off of her forehead as all of the other dancers clapped and bowed.

"Great work today!" The dancers looked completely drained as they directed their applause to Kagome.

"Great work," Kagome repeated back, bowing. She walked through the crowd of dispersing people towards Inuyasha, slumping down into the folding chair next to his.

Inuyasha placed a hand on Kagome's lower back to push her up again. "Good job today. Let's get to the hotel already."

* * *

Inuyasha's lanky fingers gripped Kagome's shoulder lightly but firmly. The slight bit of support was all that Kagome needed to stay upright, as she was led down a dimly lit hallway.

"Kagome, I'm sorry about today."

Kagome's eyes were droopy as she slowly registered the fact that Inuyasha was speaking to her. "Hmm, what for?"

They stopped in front of her hotel room as Inuyasha pulled her key card out of his pocket and unlocked her door. "I guess I shouldn't have let you stay up so late last night. Part of me was being a little selfish and, uh, maybe even lonesome..."

Kagome smiled, leaning into his shoulder a bit. "I'm the one who forced you into a miniature poker tournament. You don't need to act like my father, Inu-chan."

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose at the nickname. She knew he hated being called a cutesy name like that, but loved his reactions.

"Keh." He answered. "Well I'm, uh, sorry for being kinda rude today, too. I know you care about your dancers a lot..." Kagome opened the door to her room, and a familiar scent slightly startled Inuyasha. His eyes closed. He sighed and drooped his shoulders.

Kagome watched the sudden change in emotions cross his face. With her gray eyes shining curiously she looked at him and then turned her head around to look into her room. Inuyasha ignored her questioning stare and steered her a little bit in through the door. He gazed back into her room again, eyes growing distant as he pushed her in further.

"Kagome... get some rest. Make sure of it, please." The change in Inuyasha's tone only served to confuse her, but her eyes were now burning. She needed to close them.

"O-of course, Inuyasha. Um." With a swift step onto the ball of her foot, she raised on her toe to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks for today."

"Keh, I didn't do anything special." Inuyasha stared into her room again, giving her a final push before he headed down the hallway towards his room. "We're leaving for the concert hall in three hours."

Kagome stared after him as she entered her room. She closed the door behind her, locked the deadbolt, and bent to release the Velcro on her leather sneakers. Her eyes caught onto small rose petals in pink and white, scattered across her floor. Removing her shoes, Kagome looked back out in the direction of the hallway as if Inuyasha were still standing there. Her eyes darted back to the floor again, realizing that the petals formed a loose trail, towards the other room in her suite. She shrugged and followed it, momentarily forgetting her fatigue, careful not to step on the petals.

Her steps stopped at the entrance to the next room, the bedroom. Where she stopped walking her eyes continued along the petals as they ended at the bed. A smile stretched across Kagome's face. She couldn't believe the sight. In the center of a king-sized bed with a cream-colored comforter and piles of pillows sat Hojo, grinning at her. In one hand he held a single pink rose, which he raised, extending it towards her direction.

"Oh my God," Kagome gasped. She rushed over to him, practically tackling him into the mattress and taking the rose in one smooth movement.

His arms snaked around her waist, and he pecked her quickly on the mouth. "I've got quite a bit to make up for, haven't I?"

Kagome could find no words then, nosing into his chest as a small sob escaped her smiling lips. She nodded profusely.

* * *

**Notes:**

To everyone who has left a review, thank you very much! I writ this fic for me, but I'm glad that others enjoy it.

A little word to the "HOJO SUCKS GET RID OF HIM NOW ARGRRAAAHHH" camp: I'm glad you're so enthusiastic about the Inuyasha-and-Kagome aspect of this story. Believe me, I am too, I absolutely love them as a pairing! Give Inuyasha and Kagome time to actually fall in love, though! The act of _hunting_ prey should be just as fun as the act of finally _capturing_ that prey... get my drift?

Hopefully the eventual lemon scene(s?) will be gratifying (but only if you're of appropriate age, of course! Minors shouldn't read it :P).

Until next time!


	4. 4: Risk vs Reward

I don't usually write this frequently, so please don't take it for granted. ; I was in between projects. Oh, speaking of projects, this time around I've done a drawing of Sango:  
(fix the address accordingly, of course):  
mediaminer (dot) org (slash) fanart (slash) view (dot) php (slash) 173100.

* * *

_"Hello?" _

_"Is this Higurashi Kagome-san?"_

_In an arcade in __Tokyo__'s Akihabara district a high-school aged Kagome stood behind one of her best friends, Ayumi, as she held a small pink cell phone to her ear. Flashing multicolored lights from the various machines in the stuffy, crowded room reflected off of the surface of her phone and the small mob of mascots and charms attached to it. With her free hand Kagome did her best to fend off the noise of music, sound effects from arcade machines, and the voices of loud patrons as she spoke on the phone. "I'm sorry, how did you get my number? Who is this?" Ayumi looked up from her game and raised an eyebrow at Kagome._

_"We met in __Osaka__. Do you remember the bracelet I gave you?"_

_A smile spread like wildfire across Kagome's face, and now Ayumi's interest was even more piqued. "Takarai-san, is that you?"_

_"Hideto."_

_Kagome blushed. "Hi! I'm wearing it right now."_

_"I'm glad! Listen, I'm back in __Tokyo__ and was wondering: are you free for dinner tonight? I have a couple of friends over at my place. If you like, why don't you come over and join us?"_

_"Your place!"__ Kagome squeaked. While it was obvious that Takarai Hideto was set on speaking to her in such a familiar manner, Kagome was still star-struck. Deep down somewhere she realized that of course Hideto was a human being, just as she was, but what took more priority in Kagomes mind was that this particular human being was one that she idolized and adored, and was asking plain and ordinary her to come to his home. She slumped back against Ayumi, nearly collapsing in excitement._

_"It's nothing exciting, I understand if you don't feel like sitting around."_

_Kagome somehow found her breath again. "No no, nothing like that. It's just that I have to be at home by __eleven o'clock__ tonight, and would also feel bad about ditching my friend, but I really really do want to go! So Im not trying to blow you off or anything. Um, I bet you think I'm nuts, having to say no a second time like I don't want to hang out with you, or something... But I do! Not that I'd think someone like you would need any kind of reassurance. Ah!" Kagome sighed, completely embarrassed at how brainless she sounded. "I'm so sorry, I sound like a retard! Argh!"_

_Hideto chuckled at how frantic Kagome's voice was; he found it cute. "Let's talk about this a little bit."_

_

* * *

_

_"I love you to death, Kagome-chan, but I still think you're full of it." The pair of girls reached the entrance of a high rise and were greeted by a man in his mid-twenties, wearing a midnight blue uniform. _

_"Good evening," he said, smiling at them. "These are private residences, so I'm going to have to ask if you two have any business here."_

_"Um, yes..." Kagome was a little overwhelmed. The simple act of going to Hideto's house was a new experience in itself. "We were invited by Mr. Takarai Hideto."_

_The young man gave them a courteous smile that he had given so many other people before. It was very clear that they weren't the first pair of high school aged girls to say these words to him. "Can I get your names, please?"_

_"Higurashi Kagome."_

_"Um, Ueno Ayumi."_

_"Higurashi and Ueno, got it. Wait right here, please." He reentered his office, and the pair watched him through the tinted glass of the door while he spoke into an intercom. He finally returned. "Sorry about that."_

_"This happens a lot, I take it?"Kagome smiled._

_He grinned, running one hand across his bleached blond hair and resting it on the back of his neck as he held the door open for the girls. Both girls bowed to the doorman as they entered. The doorman returned their bows._

_"Goes without saying, right? Head to the elevator straight ahead of you and go to the thirtieth floor, apartment sixty-six."_

_"Floor thirty. Apartment sixty-six. Help me remember that, Ayumi-chan."_

_"Right."_

_The girls stalked across the lobby's gray marble floor in silence. Their footsteps echoed in the large unfurnished room until the pair halted in front of the elevator. Kagome pushed a button, handing her shopping bag to Ayumi while she readjusted her grip on her schoolbag. They said nothing to each other, each slightly lost in confusion at this surreal situation. Going to a strange man's apartment was downright stupid. They knew this. Kagome was not scared though, putting her trust in Hideto and the fact that he wouldn't go so far to hurt a random high school girl. Having met his parents also gave her a strange sense of security. Ayumi was also not scared; Her emotions were drowned out by curiosity, and any fear she had was abated by her trust in Kagome._

_On a subconscious level, though, both girls still realized what a potentially stupid thing this was to do. When the elevator's bell rang, it startled Kagome and Ayumi. They walked through the opened doors side by side, still silent._

_Once the door closed and a button was pressed, Ayumi finally spoke. "Kagome?"_

_"Hm?"_

_"I... think I'm starting to believe you now."_

_Kagome's posture relaxed a little bit, and she turned to smile at her friend._

_"But you know, I'm kinda mad at you. You didn't even mention that the nice man who gave you that bracelet in __Osaka__ was hyde himself? How cruel!"_

_"I _told _you, you should have gone with me," Kagome giggled._

_The elevator finally came to a halt. The girls stepped out into a beautiful hallway with plush wine-colored carpet, cream colored walls, and crystal chandeliers lighting the way every few yards. They walked alongside each other awestruck, hearts pounding with every step they took. Part of Kagome was still in disbelief at the whole situation. After turning a corner twice they reached the end of the hall and stood facing an ominous black lacquered door, the number 66 emblazoned across it in intimidating gold. Below the numbers a small plaque hung; the kanji, _Takarai_, neatly engraved into it. Kagome eyed it as she rang the door bell._

_"Just a minute!"__ A few locks clicked and soon Hideto's head peeked out from behind the door. Once he saw Kagome he opened the door all the way, leading the girls in._

_"Good evening, Takarai-san," Kagome started to say, but was quickly corrected._

_"Uh-uh, no.__ I told you before, I only answer to Hideto when you're concerned." Hideto smiled at Ayumi, bowing to her in salutation. "So, the doorman says you're Ueno Ayumi-san, is that correct?"_

_"Y-yes, it's nice to meet you!" Ayumi bowed deeply, presenting her shopping bag to Hideto. "This is something that Kagome and I brought... it's vanilla gelato."_

_Hideto took the bag, bowing back to the young girl. "That's going to go great with the strawberry cake we're having later."_

_Kagome's eyes lit up. "Strawberry cake! I love strawberry," she squealed, and then blushed at the sudden outburst. Ayumi bit back a giggle._

_All Hideto could do was smile. "Please, come this way." He retrieved two pairs of house slippers for Kagome and Ayumi, crossing his arms as he watched Kagome remove her shoes."We didn't get to properly hang out last time, but it's good to see you again. It's a little imposing to ask you to come to my house, but I hope you'll understand..."_

_"Anything for you," Kagome blurted out. Their eyes met then, and parted ways just as quickly. Kagome bit her lip, linking an arm with Ayumi. "Thank you for inviting us! Hopefully we won't be a bother to you."_

_"Never," Hideto answered, giving the pair a warm smile. "Let's go and greet everyone."_

* * *

_We haven't been here since high school, but why do I always let him talk me into this stuff?_ Kagome repositioned the baseball cap on her head as she stepped out of the cab. She nearly tripped on the curb, but Hojo caught her hand before she could fall. 

"I'm sorry, Kagome... this was probably a bad idea, we should have ordered room service." Hojo looked to either side, hoping that nobody would notice them.

Despite the apprehension she felt inside, she smiled disarmingly at him from beneath her dark sunglasses. He meant well. Though they didn't have a lot of time, the notion of sneaking away for a quick little date seemed fun! There was no commitment involved in a trip to WacDonald's.

"No, it's okay," Kagome said as the pair headed inside the building. "A little trip out is good once in a while. We'll get the food to go, and head back to the hotel."

"Yes, yes."

Together they each pushed open a glass door and were welcomed by a gust of warm air that was thick with the decadent smell of salt and oil. The amount of patrons were thankfully sparse; Hojo had asked the driver to take them to a less populated WacDonald's, after all. The food was ordered with no problems. A bored young man who had to be in his late teens or early twenties barely looked at the couple as he dispensed change to them in a mechanical tone. Kagome and Hojo sat in a far corner of the seating area as they waited for their food to come, and as efficiently as they made their order they left. Three teriyaki burgers, an order of fish nuggets, and two orders of French fries were being cradled in three paper bags in Kagome's arms, while Hojo held two small peach Fantas with each of his hands.

They stood outside the restaurant for a minute, at a loss of what to do next.

"Hojo," Kagome ventured.

"Yes?"

"Did... did you ask the cab driver to wait?"

He was silent.

"...I forgot to," he finally mumbled.

"I don't think I did either," Kagome said.

"Oh well, give me your cell phone."

"I left it at the hotel room."

His eyebrows raised high over his sunglasses. "You... you what? You're _never_ without your cell phone!"

Kagome rubbed her forehead. "Hojo. I'm supposed to be asleep right now. Who on earth is going to call me?"

"But you're not! What if there's an emergency, _like now_?"

As Hojo's voice raised a bit she noticed a couple of people looking at them. _Not good!_ "Lower your voice. Let's walk, we can't stand here."

"Which way do we walk? I don't know where we are right now."

"Argh," Kagome took a minute to survey the surrounding area. She was thankful that she had spent enough time in Osaka to have an idea of where they were. She faced north, walking slowly at first until Hojo began to follow. "So, Mr. In-case-of-emergency, where's _your_ cell phone?"

"It's charging in the hotel room."

"Oh crap," Kagome sighed.

"So what do we do now?"

Kagome cursed, thinking aloud. "Well, for obvious reasons we can't take the train." She blinked as Hojo's face suddenly turned down, allowing his baseball cap to cover his face as he sipped his drink. Noticing a woman who was staring at them from across the street, Kagome yanked a burger from one of the bags, shoving the wrapper off to one side as she began to eat it. She hid as much of her face as possible behind it while she took slow, small bites. "Anyway," she continued. "Can't take the train. We also can't call Shippo."

"Why can't we call Shippo?"

"Because he'll tell Inuyasha, that's why. And Inuyasha's already been in a bad mood, I don't want to worry him."

"Damn it, then we'll call Sango."

"No, Hojo, we'll call a cab. I don't know how well she knows the city."

"This is assuming we can find a pay phone, of course."

"No Dear, this is assuming we can find one that takes a phone card, because I don't know about you; I'm out of coins--"

"Then we'll get a phone card in a convenience store, just in case."

"Argh." Kagome's eyes began to burn again in a stinging reminder that she should have kept them closed when she had the chance.

* * *

"Kagome-chan, Kagome, Kagome, shh, we're almost there." Hojo tried his best to soothe his girlfriend, who quietly sobbed into his shirt in the back of a taxi. He stifled a glare at the cab driver who glanced back at them every so often through the rear view mirror. To the short, bulbous man behind the steering wheel not minding his own business, he chose to smile instead. "She's not feeling very well," Hojo explained. The cab driver realized he had been caught and bowed in an embarrassed apology. 

_Damn right I'm not fucking feeling well,_ Kagome wanted to say. Instead, she vented her frustration in the form of tears all over Hojo's shirt; it took the least amount of energy and thought at this point. She had wished so badly to spend time with him, but not like this. What started as one of the sweetest surprise visits Hojo had ever paid her became a nightmare. _No, that's not true. A nightmare involves sleep, _she thought bitterly.

While Kagome had a passing familiarity with the major streets of Osaka her knowledge in places to buy a phone card, like convenience stores and supermarkets, didn't apply to parts of the city she did not frequent. It took roughly thirty minutes before they finally found a 7-11. They ad then walked for an hour before finding a payphone that wasn't in the middle of a busy shopping center teeming with curious prying eyes. The payphone ended up having a machine that dispensed phone cards right next to it, and Kagome did her absolute best not to scream upon that discovery. Waiting for the cab was also a nuisance; standing for twenty minutes in the same place was like asking to be recognized. Kagome and Hojo spent most of that time staring at the ground, or covering their faces with their cold food while they ate, hoping that the brims of their baseball caps would help shield them in enough anonymity to remain unnoticed.

Now in the back of the cab, Kagome was thankful that her ordeal was nearly over. She was also dreadful of what was coming. Her three hours that had been allotted for sleep were almost completely diminished; spent hastily on such a whim. Kagome couldn't curse any part of her that was impulsive, however. If not for such tendencies, the most memorable times of her life may not have existed.

No, she couldn't curse tendencies that were impulsive, but she could absolutely curse impulses that were downright _stupid_.

When Hojo led her into the hotel her stomach began to do back flips. Had she not have been so exhausted she wouldn't have been feeling as horrible as she did. Hopefully she would return before Inuyasha realized what had happened, at the very least. At the moment it didn't matter that he would only be angry because it was his job to worry, Kagome just couldn't afford to waste any more energy getting him to shut up.

"Kagome-chan, I... I didn't mean for this to happen."

"No, I'm just as responsible as you are. But I just... I missed you!" Kagome gripped Hojo's arm with both of her own, laying her head onto his shoulder for support as they reached the elevator.

"I'll stay with you until tomorrow. You can sleep, and then we can get some reservations to a nice restaurant this time."

"Sounds great!" Kagome raised her hand to press the call button for the elevator, but not quickly enough.

"I knew it, she's here!"

"Oh my God, Hojo-san's with her! How romantic!"

Kagome and Hojo's shoulders collectively slumped, just a little bit. Not now. Two girls that appeared to be in high school skipped up alongside the couple, squealing and jumping.

One girl, wearing white loose socks and red dyed hair, clasped her hands together. "Are you... Higurashi Kago--?"

"Can we have your autographs, pleeease?" her shorter friend who wore a messenger bag interrupted.

"Can we hang out with you?"

"We're gonna be at the concert tomorrow night, Higurashi-san, right in front!"

"Which room are you staying in, we promise we won't tell anybody!"

"Is this a really nice hotel? How are the rooms?"

"Hojo-san, you look so much taller in person!"

Kagome and Hojo stood there, incredulous at the barrage of words. All Kagome could do was lean further into Hojo, she couldn't handle this right now. He gave Kagome a knowing glance and opened his mouth to speak. He never got the chance to answer.

"Sorry. Move along, ladies." The girls were pushed back, and the elevator door was opened with the push of a button. Inuyasha towered ominously over them, folding his arms as Kagome and Hojo entered the elevator. "Kagome's got to get ready to leave right now, we're in a hurry." He followed them inside and pressed the button for the door to close. As Kagome moved to push the button for her floor Inuyasha stopped her.

"Wait. We're not going to let them follow us to our room." He pressed three other buttons and then the one for their own floor, leaning back against the wall of the elevator car afterwards.

The three stood in an exasperated silence. Inuyasha glanced at Kagome, subtly assessing her. It didn't take a youkai's senses to tell that she hadn't had any sleep since he left her. For that he wanted to rip out Hojo's throat. The man was already on Inuyasha's shit list. The hanyou lowered his face, glaring at Hojo through his bangs, gleefully thinking about all the ways he could send the puny little human into a world of pain. _I don't care how much you've been working out lately,_ Inuyasha wanted to say. _I could gut you with both arms tied behind my back._ Inuyasha resigned himself to the fact that the act of murdering Hojo would only put Kagome through a harder time than she was having already.

Kagome didn't like the silence. Her hands gripped tightly onto the black baseball cap she wore out today. "Inuyasha, look, I'll be fine tonight."

"Hm?" Inuyasha smiled at her. The elevator made its first stop at one of the floors Inuyasha pushed the button for. He closed the door and the three continued their ride up to their floor. "We can afford about fifteen minutes, if you want to take a quick shower."

Kagome was a little surprised at the fact that she got no reprimand, but didn't ask questions. Once everyone reached Kagome's room she dashed towards the bathroom. "Give me ten minutes," she called behind her, closing the door to the bathroom.

Hojo walked over to a white couch, grabbing for a remote control. Inuyasha sat alongside him. A low growl rumbled in his chest at every movement Hojo made. He eventually spoke.

"Aren't _you_ batting a thousand lately."

Hojo sighed. "I told her I was sorry. I'll be here at least until tomorrow, I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Ah. Standing her up couldn't be helped, too."

"Hey, look. It's been rough lately. I hate reshoots as much as the next guy but a job is a job, Inuyasha."

"Ah, a job is a job. What a completely valid excuse for shitting all over your woman's feelings. Did that Fukuyama bastard help you think that one up after you guys fucked her shit up last night? Ratings are ratings and a job is a job. Publicly embarrassing Kagome is just fine as long as you cannibalize a bunch of roses on her floor and drag her to WacDonald's when she should be getting some rest?"

The young man paused, bewildered for a second. He forgot that Inuyasha probably smelled the food on them, or maybe just overheard where they were going. Either way didn't really matter at this point.

"Don't put words in my mouth and dont accuse me of intentions I dont have, Inuyasha." Hojo tried not to be affected by Inuyasha's words, flipping channels rapidly until he felt a little better. Both he and Inuyasha glanced at the television noncommittally, and Hojo tried to appear distracted. "You haven't known her as long as I have. I know when she's forgiven me."

"All right, you've got me there."

Hojo sighed again. "I'm glad you understand."

"If you're proud of flaunting the fact that that you mess things up so much and constantly require Kagome's forgiveness, have a goddamned field day. Take the fucking world title, for all I care."

The remote control slipped from Hojo's hand, landing on the floor with a soft bounce. "Hang on a minute. Why do you have to give me this kind of crap when Kagome is equally responsible? She's a grown adult."

Inuyasha had to take a deep breath in order to stop himself from attacking Hojo outright. "She is also dead tired and about to spend an hour in hair and makeup, before dancing and singing her heart out for three hours straight with barely any kind of a break. You think it'll help if I make her feel like shit right now? She knows I've got to tear into her later, it's my fucking _job_, but there's some consideration to take account for. Remember that word? Consideration?" Inuyasha snatched the remote control from the floor, turning off the television. "Hojo. The difference between the two of you is that _she_ is my client and _you_ are not. As her friend, and as her employee I care about her."

"Ah," Hojo answered, "So... somehow you're better than me because you care about Kagome so much, you're so good and diligent with your job, but when I'm good and diligent about my job I'm a bastard."

"I don't need to shit on somebody to do my job." Inuyasha scoffed.

"Oh, yes, you're absolutely not shitting on me right now. Inuyasha growled a little, but Hojo continued. You care about Kagomes well-being so much that you have to give me a bad time? Why don't you just come out and tell the truth, Inuyasha? I see the way you act around her."

"What!" Inuyasha's fangs peeked out from beneath his lips.

"Do you think I'm unable to tell when someone wants her? Ive known her since middle school and Ive dated her for four years. Do you honestly believe I'm blind to that sort of thing?"

Inuyasha stared at Hojo incredulously. "D-don't be ridiculous, you arrogant prick! Dont flatter yourself, either! To think Id actually want to get it on with... Kagome's a great girl, maybe one of my favorites, but in the end she's still a human. In another lifetime she'd still be prey to me."

Hojo called Inuyasha's bluff. "'Prey' is definitely a good word for it."

Crossing his arms, Inuyasha huffed. "All right, now that we've danced in some irrelevant, _unfounded_ shit, let me just remind you again: I shouldn't have to tell all-knowing and all-wonderful You to quit making your girlfriend cry.I don't want to fucking fight about it. Go _be_ a better man than me and just treat her right, okay?"

They glared at each other, the quiet room starting to dim as the sun went down.

Hojo jammed both hands in his hair, ruffling his bangs. "Argh! Look, I'm sorry, Man. I shouldn't be mad at you for wanting Kagome to be happy. Maybe I shouldnt jump to conclusions, either."

Yeah. Inuyasha snorted, leaning back on the couch. Lets not do this again.

* * *

**Notes:**

Somehow, the story did not go as far as I intended in this chapter but it turned out to be longer than I expected.

**I read an interesting thing in one of the reviews:** the impression that Kagome is a virgin (during the current setting, not in the flashbacks). Honestly I can't remember if I mentioned it or not, but Kagome is around 22/23 years old when we first see her.

Let's weigh the facts. We've got: - An attractive lady with an attractive boyfriend, probably not her first.  
- Celebrities. Typical pitfalls of fame aside, it seems celebrities pretty much do as they please in the privacy of their own dwellings without a reprimand from Mom and Dad.  
_And on that note: _  
- Grown adults: A mention of a time (in chapter 2, I think) when she and Hojo would somewhat regularly have beer with dinner (legal age in Japan is 20), and plenty of time in between to do the horizontal.  
- An R rating (NC-17 at mediaminer).

The outcome of these things put together don't really matter to the story, but someone who still manages to deduce "virgin" from all of it is much more pure of heart than I... or just underage. I'll discount the latter and trust that my readers honor the rating and are of the appropriate age. ;D

For those who review, thank you! Writing is something I can only do in my spare time (got a job and stuff), but the knowledge that others are enjoying it make me actually try to write this more often. I'm a little surprised at that. Thank you to anyone who has shown interest in this story:D Sorry this notes segment is pretty lengthy. x.x;;


	5. 5: Fumbling Forward

In Kagome's dressing room Sango sighed, running her hands through the pop star's hair just once more. "I'm glad I came. Those idiots always put too much crap in your hair, I can't believe I forgot."

"Mnn," Kagome replied. The first outfit of the night was a short gray denim skirt with ties on each side that ended high above the knees. It was matched with a white top, sleeveless, strapless, and accentuated with wrinkled white leather boots. They were things she wore in her last music video; she was in love with the boots. In such fabulous clothes she slumped in her chair, wilting to one side, nearly dead to the world. Sango's heart went out to her, but there was nothing that could be done short of turning back time.

Inuyasha burst into the room then, not even missing a beat as he picked up Kagome out of the chair. "You're on in two minutes, let's move it."

"Kagome-chan, hang in there! Break a leg!" Sango waved as Kagome was whisked out of the room, and then began to put away her combs, hair dryer, and styling products.

Inuyasha stopped at a staircase that led up to an electric platform. Kagome was to stand on it and come up through the bottom of the stage as the first song began. He put her down, briefly squeezing her shoulders as she waited for her cue to head to the platform. A technician with a clipboard in hand and headset on his head finally trotted up to them, herding Kagome to her place.

"Okay, are we ready? In fifteen seconds..."

In the dimly lit space Inuyasha watched her mentally prepare herself for the performance. Kagome adjusted her headset and crouched low on the platform, collecting her thoughts and listening to the music for her cue. Screams from the crowd of roughly fifteen thousand attendees swirled in a storm across the concert hall, clashing with music blaring out of the speakers. So many sounds overtook Kagome as she counted measures with her fingers, softly tapping her toe to the beat in the dark. A mask of calmness and confidence washed away Kagome's previously despondent expression, and Inuyasha was again reminded of why she was a star; why he couldn't find his breath when she commanded a crowd on stage. It always made him think back to when he first heard her sing, years ago.

"Three... two... one!" White fog from dry ice billowed beneath the platform as Kagome was launched up and out of sight. Her stance was aggressive and domineering once she reached the stage. The first lyrics of her song exploded out the speakers throughout Osaka-jo Hall, Kagome's voice cleanly cutting through what had now become a tidal wave of screaming and chanting all for her.

The stage was where Kagome truly became a force of nature. Her seemingly endless locks of wavy hair swished around her in a black halo as she sang and danced, while her fellow dancers moved about with almost comparable prowess. Their choreography was razor sharp and nothing short of enthralling. During an instrumental solo Kagome joined them in their lethal movements, wreaking destruction with every dance step she administered to the audience. In the end, nothing but the chaos of applause and cheers would be left in their wake.

And that was just the opening number.

* * *

Hayashi Yuka banged her forehead against her desk. She had been calling all night and day. Twenty-three messages later she knew as little as when she started. Where did Hojo disappear to? Was he in trouble? After he finished his work the night before she hadn't heard from him; she usually would have. Had anyone else heard from him? 

_What if..._

Yuka picked up the phone for what could have been the millionth time in the last fourteen hours. She punched one of the speed dial buttons and tapped her foot, waiting for an answer. The only voice she heard was a voice mail greeting. Groaning and mashing her free hand into her chin-length chestnut hair, she nearly screamed until a new idea struck her. Her eyes lit up as she pressed one more speed dial button.

"Eri-chan?" Yuka spoke as soon as she heard the phone pick up.

"Yes, this is Eri... Yuka-chan, is that you?"

She sighed, smiling and sinking slowly down into her large brown leather chair. "I'm glad _someone_ still answers their phone. Are you in your office?"

"Yep, whatcha' need?"

Yuka grinned, reaching for a pen. "This is a two part request, actually. First, I need Higurashi Kagome-san's tour schedule, tonight in particular. I want to know where she is right now, if possible."

"I've got her fan club newsletter handy... but Yuka-chan, didn't you listen to _All Night Nippon_ last night? Hojo-san said that Higurashi-san was on her way to Osaka. I bet Higurashi-san is in the middle of a concert by now."

"Oh! No, I fell asleep pretty early last night and woke up in time to catch the last few minutes. I must have missed that part."

There was a strange silence then.

"Eri-chan? Something wrong?"

"No, nothing. I was just a little surprised, because that was a pretty interesting show last night."

Yuka raised an eyebrow. She would have to get a tape of it later. "All right. Next, I need some way to get a hold of her manager, please."

"Give me about fifteen to twenty minutes for that. I'll have to call you back."

"Promise?"

Eri laughed. "When have I let you down, Yuka-chan?

Yuka grinned. "Thank you so much!"

"It's my job!"

The receiver was returned to its base. Yuka rest her chin onto her desk, arms hanging down toward the floor and toes tapping together. Without being too conscious about it she picked up the phone again, hitting the speed dial with practiced movement. Three rings later she was shocked when a voice actually answered on the other end.

"This is Hojo," it chirped.

Yuka nearly dropped the phone. A shriek stumbled from her lips; she wasn't quite prepared to say anything just yet. As her brain fumbled for words she shook a finger in the air, as if scolding somebody.

"Oh, it's Yuka, isn't it? Need something?"

"Hojooo," She finally managed. "You know that the photo shoot for _Shot_ is tomorrow night, right? I've been calling you ever since _All Night Nippon_ ended, where have you been! Where are you now?"

"Hey, I'm sorry about that. The phone's been off and charging so I haven't been able to take any calls until now."

"Well, I've been trying your house, too. I even tried Higurashi-san's but she's on tour, isn't she?"

"I'm with her in Osaka right now."

"Oh my GOD, Hojo, get back to Tokyo! What on earth is the matter with you!"

"I was going to head back early tomorrow morning after breakfast, just in time for--"

To say that Yuka was completely floored was an understatement. Her hand slapped her forehead, and with sharp, violent movements she slid into the back of her chair. "Hojo-kun, the last thing you need is to push things to the wire. The entire cast is going to be there, and I'll be damned if you get stuck in traffic, or behind an accident, or Heaven forbid _in_ an accident that results in you showing up late! You are a professional. I would have thought that the last couple of mishaps with the re-shoots would have taught you to plan ahead!"

"Yuka, I need to talk to Kagome once in a while."

"It's called a phone."

"It's not the same!"

"Listen up Romeo, just get your ass back to Tokyo!"

"I'll... I can at least wait until she finishes her concert."

"Hojo, I adore you but you're an idiot! Seeing Kagome only hurts her when you have work scheduled and you suddenly have to leave! Just wait until your shooting and other promotional work is completely done so you don't have to burn bridges."

"But you don't understand! I did something even worse last night. I really messed up. I had to make it up to her somehow. I messed up today, too. Normally I agree with you but this time a phone call wouldn't have done it. I can't afford to leave until the concert is over."

"Kagome understands contractual obligations. It's not an industry secret that her work ethic is second to none. Didn't you two practically grow up together? Aren't you two cut from the same fabric?"

Hojo wanted to lash out but knew it wouldn't be right. Yuka was only doing her job. "I really hate this," he sighed.

"Hey. Find a new career if you don't like it."

Hojo was silent.

"After all of the promotional work is done for this show take a vacation, okay?"

"Yeah. See you in a while." Hojo ended the call.

Yuka's phone rang almost as soon as she hung it up. Before she had a chance to let go of the receiver she pulled it back to her ear.

"This is Hayashi speaking."

"Yuka-chan, it's Eri. I have Higurashi-san's manager's contact info. I was able to get his home and cell phone numbers."

"Actually I don't need them now, but it'd be good to have on hand. Though I'd rather not greet him as 'Manager-san,' what's his name?"

"He goes by Inuyasha. No family name."

"No family name? So he's either a youkai, or he's as eccentric as our dear Hojo, I assume."

Eri smiled. "Guess."

"Well, call me crazy but I think the 'dog' part in the first half of his name is a dead giveaway to his heritage. Youkai, right?"

"Sorry, Yuka-chan, I gave you an unfair trick question. He's a hanyou, who I'm told is pretty touchy about being called a youkai. Actually..."

"The way you said 'actually' sounds foreboding, Eri-chan."

"You're sharp as usual. Everyone I went through to get Inuyasha's contact information warned me about his attitude. He's rude, blunt, short-tempered, and overprotective of Higurashi-san."

"Sounds like a party." Yuka was suddenly happier about not having to call him.

"But he's good at his job. And he's supposedly _hot_! He does things like cook for Higurashi-san, and he buys her expensive flowers after every show. There's even a rumor that he combs her hair in the morning! If that's how he treats his clients then imagine being his girlfriend! I kinda wanna see if I can get pictures of him! Do you think he likes short-haired girls who can cook?"

Yuka's eyebrows raised a little. "How the hell would I know? But I am a bit jealous of Higurashi-san now that I've heard this. Being surrounded by good-looking men all the time," she laughed.

"Well Yuka-chan, you're always around at least one of those good-looking men, too," Eri's voice giggled through the receiver.

"Yeah, yeah." Yuka smiled.

* * *

Three minutes were left in the show. 

Two hands gripped a clear glass vase that was splashed with a few small beads of water. Its short round body brimmed with white roses and lilies and was decorated with a clear plastic cord of faux pearls spaced inches apart. Inuyasha held the arrangement firmly as he nudged the door to Kagome's dressing room open with his shoulder. He headed to her vanity table and set the flowers down, using a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe off the excess water from the vase. With rehearsed movements Inuyasha reached for Kagome's favorite padded chair. The chair was a small and elegant thing, with ornate flowers carved into its wooden base and pale pink silk fabric for the cushion. Branches of plum blossoms were embroidered into the silk. It was a souvenir from her childhood, kept pristine despite years of use. When Kagome finally moved out of her mother's house it was given to her.

Inuyasha did not know this; he only knew that Kagome treasured this chair and insisted that it be brought along on all tours. As he centered it in front of the dressing table, he grinned as he heard the music stop. The audience's cheering amplified and it would only be a matter of time before Kagome would walk in, dead tired and ready to go to bed.

Before he could reflect any further he heard the familiar sound of sluggish footsteps in the hall. They paused for an unnaturally long time at the door. As Inuyasha readied a fresh towel for Kagome there was a dull thud, followed by a clamoring of elbows and knees sounding against wood. With concern pooling in his stomach the hanyou threw the towel to the ground as he sprang for the entrance. He feared for the worst as soon as he heard somebody scream.

Nearly tearing the door off of its hinges, Inuyasha's heartbeats quickened. He found Kagome splayed across the floor between two members of the road crew. "Kagome!" Inuyasha pulled her onto his lap. "Shit, someone call an ambulance, NOW!" A hand rose from the floor, slowly sliding across his chest and finally tugging on his collar.

"No, no... it's okay, Inuyasha." Kagome spoke without opening her eyes.

"Kagome, just rest there." As the crowd around them grew Inuyasha became increasingly frustrated. "If I don't see anyone making a fucking phone call in the next two seconds I won't just FIRE all of you worthless shit-for-brains, I will fucking FILLET YOU!" Cell phones were simultaneously pulled out, frantic voices now surrounding Inuyasha and Kagome.

"NO!" Kagome's fatigued yell pierced through the crowd. "I'm tired as hell. I leaned against the door and the heel of my boot caught on something when I started to walk again, and I didn't feel like moving from here because it felt so nice to just close my eyes and lay still..."

A growl rumbled low in his throat. "Let's just make sure there's nothing wrong with you. Somebody--"

Kagome's grip on Inuyasha's shirt tightened. She pulled his head down with her remaining strength until their faces were only inches apart. With bared teeth she hissed, "Inuyasha, I'm fine. Take. Me. To the hotel. Take me to Hojo, and then leave me alone for the night, please."

* * *

He had a beautiful hand-tailored sport coat lined with rose red silk; its fabric was such a smoky gray that it could be mistaken for black. Maybe Inuyasha bought it in Rome, or perhaps New York? None of that mattered now, as it lay crumpled on the ground while the half demon unbuttoned his shirt. 

"That asshole's ruined Kagome's week, Shippo! It just... fucking pisses me off, 'cause I can't do a damn thing about it except watch."

Shippo rolled his eyes and tossed back a few more gulps of beer. "Yeah, he's getting on my nerves too, but what can you do? She loves him, she's gonna put up with him. Her patience is almost saint-like."

"Keh, shut the hell up." Inuyasha bowed out of his dress shirt, taking care to hang it. He flattened its sleeves with his palms before snatching up a pair of jeans and heading to the bathroom. Speaking loudly through the closed door he continued. "You can say that all you want, but it's me she growls and whines at. You saw what happened tonight when she fell."

"I also saw a certain manager overreacting. Do you even know how much of a pain in the butt you are to deal with?" Shippo heard the toilet flush, and tossed Inuyasha a can of beer as he emerged from the bathroom in jeans. The hanyou punctured the top with a single claw, gulping down half of his drink. He deposited his dress pants on the floor, stepping all over them and his coat as he headed to a nearby chair. Shippo winced when Inuyasha unknowingly scooted the chair over the pants and coat. Such gorgeous fabric twisted and writhed painfully under the chair's weight and motion.

"I'm paid to be a pain in the butt." He glanced at Shippo and then spotted the flower arrangement that was intended for Kagome on a nearby table. Shippo caught Inuyasha's gaze at the flowers and set down his beer. The fox youkai picked up the vase of roses and lilies.

"Repent for tonight." He grinned as Inuyasha glared but stood. He laughed as he watched Inuyasha pick up the flowers and his room key, stalking out of the room.

"May as well head to my room." Taking the rest of the beer and moving the chair off of Inuyasha's sport coat and dress pants, Shippo left the room.

* * *

Inuyasha exited the elevator, his resolve getting weaker with every step he took. He nearly forgot that she asked not to be bothered tonight and decided that he would leave the flowers at her door. No fuss. The hanyou sighed, reaching the entrance to Kagome's suite and depositing the flowers on the floor. As he turned down the hall he heard a door click, but ignored it until it was followed by a fleshy thud against the ground and a familiar shriek. 

"Kagome!" Inuyasha spun around and froze, suddenly unsure of what to do.

Kagome was sprawled on the ground with an ice bucket in one hand and her right foot jammed tightly in the vase. Nearly tangled in her bath robe she waded in wet carpet and crumpled flowers as she frantically tugged at the glass vessel on her foot, hissing profanities at the stinging wet sensation. Inuyasha spotted the doors to a couple of other rooms opening. Other hotel patrons were probably curious about the commotion. In one smooth dive he glided across the floor and rolled Kagome, who shrieked in anger and surprise, back into her suite. The ice bucket was thrown into the room after her, a hollow plastic thunk echoing as it hit a wall. As he pulled the door shut Inuyasha herded in whatever ruined flowers he could with a few frantic sweeps of his arm.

Then turning his attention to Kagome he calmed her, putting a placating hand on her shoulder as he delicately gripped the leg stuck in the vase. His fingertips just barely brushed under her calf and slid smoothly towards her ankle, propping it up.

"Point your toe."

Quietly but angrily she complied, exhaling slowly as Inuyasha removed any remaining thorny stems from the vase before removing the vase itself. "Stay here for a second, Kagome." He stood, leaving the room for a moment and returning with a towel to wipe off Kagome's leg. Before she could say a word Inuyasha finished and stood, heading towards the door.

"Look, I'm sorry to bother you two tonight. I really wasn't thinking when I left those where they could be stepped on, I'm sorry, Kagome. And tell Hojo that I'm sorry for bothering... wait."

Kagome folded her arms. Inuyasha stared at her, and then stalked over to the bedroom. Kagome stood, following him, and climbed onto the bed he was already sitting on. Inuyasha looked over to her, seething as he spotted a small handwritten note on her nightstand. He didn't need to read it to know what it said. How could Hojo possibly do this to her again, and so soon? Inuyasha's fist clenched. He reached into his pocket, retrieving his cell phone. Intent to verbally rip Hojo a new orifice Inuyasha punched the actor's phone number in. Kagome's eyes widened as she saw the number forming on the phone's display screen and placed a hand over his, turning it off.

Inuyasha stared incredulously at her. Kagome was a person with strength and conviction except when Hojo was involved. He hated how someone who could have nearly anything she wanted allowed herself to be like this. Her hollow stare was stricken with sadness and pleading with him to not make the phone call. She wrapped her arms around herself, grasping the fabric of the nightie Hojo gave her.

Kagome didn't need her manager to speak in order to know what he thought of the situation, but she simply couldn't turn off her emotions. It wasn't too bad anyway, right? At least she wasn't crying now.

Wordlessly Kagome turned on the television, adjusting her position so that she could lean on Inuyasha's shoulder. They stayed that way, in silent company as minutes passed and became an hour. Whatever was on TV was nothing more than noisy colorful blobs of light as they sat together. Unshed tears had collected in Kagome's eyes when Inuyasha finally yawned, starting to get up and leave. He needed to go to sleep. He turned to pat Kagome on the head, but froze when he noticed a single tear running down her face. She reached out, gripping his forearm.

"Stay?"

"Kagome. You need some rest now, Honey. You'll never make it through tomorrow otherwise."

Kagome now held his forearm with both hands. She pulled her manager towards her, enclosing his arm in both of hers. He sighed, aggravated on the surface but happy to do whatever was asked of him. Inuyasha relaxed and sat up on the bed, leaning against the headboard. Kagome rose to her knees, crawling closer to him and moving to rest her head on his lap. One of his hands moved to her hair, idly combing his fingers through its soft black tresses as the television murmured in the background. Once she was finally asleep Inuyasha reached an arm out to turn off the light on the nightstand. He contemplated getting up but didn't want to disturb Kagome. The least he could do for her was try his best to make sure that she was comfortable and relaxed right now.

It never failed to calm him, he realized, when he watched her sleep. While he knew he should have left well enough alone, his fingertip absently traced along Kagome's bare arm. It felt as soft as it looked under the dull light of the television. Inuyasha quietly knocked the back of his head against the wall, angry at himself for not wanting to leave. He cherished and rued their close relationship the most at times like this. He hated how her laughter lit up his heart so easily, and how her patient demeanor soothed him enough to stop attacking the stage crew during tours. He hated how Kagome threw winks and glances at him during boring record industry parties, or how she seemed to only smile a certain way when just the two of them shared quiet limousine rides together. He hated himself when her face lit up every time he praised her.

At the moment, he was also particularly hateful towards thoughts that came to mind when she wore such cute lace panties under translucent white sleepwear. Inuyasha preferred black or red on a woman, but had never seen Kagome in either color. In spite of this he had cultivated a growing appreciation for lingerie in baby pink, ever since he learned that it was the only color that Kagome bought. Kagome's entire wardrobe was particular. Beyond the occasional exception: an article of gray or blue denim and various pairs of shoes, Kagome's clothing consisted of white pants, shirts, dresses, tank tops, shoes... almost everything imaginable except for her pink lingerie.

Times like this made Inuyasha hate that he could actually be influenced… distracted by a stupid, inferior human. Especially when the one in question was asleep and so vulnerable, mumbling into his lap. Kagome was too comfortable around him; she didn't act with as much modesty as she should have around any other member of the opposite sex. It grated on his nerves as he wondered if she knew she was taunting him in this way.

"Darling," she whispered in an exhale. An arm messily slapped against Inuyasha's chest, and its hand gripped Inuyasha's collar, pulling him down sideways to lay with her.

"Kagome," Inuyasha started to gasp. There was no doubt she was dreaming about Hojo. At that thought the hanyou began to hate his life, wishing for either sleep or mental control. He didn't want to give Hojo the satisfaction of being right about his feelings. He hated that such a typically oblivious guy could see right through Inuyasha's behavior towards Kagome. It wasn't as if it were intentional! It wasn't as if he were incapable of getting women, either. Inuyasha's long mane of silver hair, golden eyes, signature smirk, and too-cute ears turned women's heads everywhere he went. Outside of work the hanyou practically lived under hungry stares from eligible (and ineligible) females.

Inuyasha gazed into Kagome's sleeping face as she kept her grip on his collar. In a far, dark corner of his mind he reveled in the fact that he loved his job.

The hanyou sighed. He should have left long ago. Lightly unhooking Kagome's fingertips from his shirt he slid soundlessly off of the bed, moving to a nearby lounge chair just in case she woke up.

* * *

"Cebu! As in the fucking Philippines?" 

"Yep. Come on, the tour's been over for more than a couple of weeks now. I think it's a great time to relax before hurrying back to the grind. Besides, Hojo said that there was a surprise there, and to bring friends! We're leaving tonight."

Inuyasha blinked. He stood in the center of Kagome's brightly lit bedroom, slightly startled when she shoved a pile of her clothes into his arms.

"Hey. It's a tropical island in a foreign country where I can still use my English. The snorkeling there rocks. Everyone seems to go to Hawaii for that, but... too many Japanese people live there. Don't want to run into the wrong person, after all. So you're gonna go, right?"

Inuyasha averted his eyes when Kagome started to grab a pile of underwear. "It's not that, Kagome, we're shooting the video for your new single in six days!"

"_I know_, and Hojo's got to do some commercials for Glico next week. And before you ask, yes I have the choreography down for the video. I'll even dance for you in my bikini if you don't believe me!"

Inuyasha's face reddened as Kagome winked.

"Don't worry, I won't subject you to that kind of horror," she giggled. "So you're gonna _go_, right?"

Inuyasha groaned, politely turning around while she sorted through her panties. "Keh. You forget, Paparazzi follow people like you to the ends of the earth. All you need is just one asshole with a camera taking pictures of you in one of your tiny bikinis and you're fucked."

Kagome wrinkled her nose in response. Her expression brightened soon after. "That's why you should come! What if I happen to have someone there who has, oh I don't know, an excellent sense of smell, hearing, and sight? Oh, and Sango's going… Shippo can't make it because it's going to be his girlfriend's birthday… we'll need more people, I'm told."

"Oh no. Not just no, but _hell no_. Not because I don't like you or Sango, but just because I ain't prancing around on some damn beach when I could be doing work."

Kagome giggled. "Do you really want to dedicate your entire life to work?"

"Oh, boo-fucking-hoo; _You're_ my work." Inuyasha rolled his eyes as Kagome added a couple of skirts to the clothing he was holding and led him out of the room.

As they scooted into slippers at the entrance of the room and stepped down the hallway's wooden floor Kagome suddenly gasped, clapping her hands together just before Inuyasha collided with her. He nearly dropped her clothes.

"Watch it! Did you forget something?"

"That's right," Kagome squealed. "Hayashi-san will be there! She heard you were cute and really wants to meet you."

"Hey, wait a minute," growled Inuyasha. "I never said I'd go. And who the hell is Hayashi-san, anyway?"

"Hm, I suppose you've never met her, but you should at least know her name. Shame on you, you're in the same industry! Doesn't 'Hayashi Yuka' ring a bell to you?"

"Ah, Mr. Shithead's--"

"Hey!"

"I mean, your boyfriend's manager. What the hell, you trying to set us up? Sounds very cute and contrived, are we in a sitcom?" When Kagome began to walk again, Inuyasha followed her.

"Considering that you managers seem to thrive on knowing every detail of our days it only seems natural to invite both of you." Kagome turned sharply into a room where a set of white leather suitcases lay open and neatly lined up on the floor.

"Don't get things confused with tour season. I don't know what Hayashi Yuka's deal is but I just want to get you from job to job. Speaking of which, I'd bet Hayashi and I'd do better here. On the phone with people like Miroku who, by the way, would not be able to get great jobs for you if you were to flake out. By the way, are you sure you're going to be back in time?"

"Of course." They both kneeled in front of the suitcases. Inuyasha helped Kagome fold her clothing before she started packing things. "By the way, there _is _such a thing as email and long distance calls nowadays, Silly."

Inuyasha glowered at her, silent but starting to relent. His eyes caught the string bikini Kagome was folding into a compartment of her suitcase.

"...Is she hot?"

Kagome beamed. "That's the spirit!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that shit! I asked you a question! Answer it, already."

* * *

Kagome squirmed happily in her seat, sardined in a tiny taxi cab between Inuyasha and Sango. Though the tropical climate left her cheeks beautifully flushed, the blast of a powder blue Nissan Sentra's air conditioner was completely refreshing. When Inuyasha flagged the cab down at the airport, the singer could only sigh in relief when she saw a decal on the side of the car that said, "Air-Con." She didn't expect a distinction between cabs that were with and without air conditioning in this country, but was glad to be lucky on the first cab ride. The trio had only been standing outside of the airport for no longer than fifteen minutes before the hot and humid weather began to take its toll on them. Kagome was only slightly more worn out than her companions due to the multitude of people offering to carry her luggage for a small sum of money. 

The men who grabbed for her suitcases weren't hard to handle, but preventing Inuyasha from attacking them was tiring. Sango could only watch and laugh at each instance that Inuyasha made death threats in broken English.

"Sorry," Kagome finally sighed once she was relaxed. "I kinda forgot that this was a vacation. I'm so used to you two handling everything that I didn't arrange for airport transportation in advance."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Keh. It's not like we're stranded or anything…"

"I'm a little surprised that Hojo didn't come to meet us at the airport," Sango mused as she leaned against the window. She gazed up at the cerulean sky, smiling at the rows of palm trees that blurred past them.

"He said he needed to do some things before we got there." Kagome leaned back, resting her head against Inuyasha and Sango's shoulders. Looking over at Inuyasha, she was slightly annoyed that he managed to scowl even on vacation, but took it in stride. Wordlessly she turned to him making a point to stare.

"Can I help you?" The hanyou raised an eyebrow.

Kagome said nothing, beaming at him. In a matter of moments Inuyasha realized what she was doing and returned her smile. He ruffled her bangs a little before returning to his reclining position, a small content look remaining on his face.

Their small exchange wasn't lost on Sango, who also patted Kagome on the head. She leaned against Kagome and stared out the window once more with a small smile across her lips. It was great to see her friend truly at ease for a change. "Oh man, I can't wait to get to a beach!"

"You said it, Sango-chan. The sooner I can take off all of these clothes and get into a bikini, the sooner it'll make my day."

"I absolutely agree with you, Kagome-chan." Sango's grin shifted subtly to a smirk when she eyed Inuyasha, who stared discreetly at Kagome. _I'm sure you'll be making a lot of people's days._

_

* * *

_

"Yuka, can you hand me the box?"

"Sure thing." With delicate movements her wrists arched as she opened a blue velvet box the size of her palm. She handed it to Hojo, who smiled a little and removed what was inside.

"Has she called yet?"

"Yep, a few minutes ago," Yuka walked over to a wicker chair in the center of the room, crossing her legs as she sat. She watched as Hojo opened a bottle of champagne, filling several champagne flutes before taking one.

The actor inhaled deeply as he dropped the box's contents into the champagne. A simple gold band swathed in an asymmetrical arrangement of square-cut diamonds sunk cleanly towards the stem of the glass, and Hojo finally released his breath.

* * *

**Notes:**

This chapter was nearly lost! If not for my husband's 1337 h4x0r skills my laptop would have never booted again, and I'd have to write this chapter again. Everything is backed up now.

Sorry, I didn't intend to go for so long without an update. Look, it's been stressful lately and lots of stuff happened. In fact, as a result I have to leave the country soon. I really, REALLY wanted to get this part up before that; tonight I stayed up until 6:30 a.m. finishing it even though I have work in four hours.

…**_four hours_**? Case in point: I'm writing this story for me. I'm not a particularly exceptional writer. I need all the help I can get, which means I'm not going to two-pump chump this story just to get to the gratuitous money shot (and it's _gonna _be gratuitous!). I thank all of you, and appreciate the praise and good C+C, but don't cater to the "APPEASE ME ME ME ME ME NOW NOW NOW NOW!" crowd. Sorry.

Thank you for reading!


	6. 6: The Beach

**Note:** This is the completed version of the chapter. If you feel you've read the first parts before, keep going-- more has been added!

* * *

"_Can you please repeat your name, Ma'am?_"

"_It's Kagome Higurashi, but we're staying with someone by the name of Hojo._" Kagome was glad that she took some time to refresh her English on the plane. Though she may have needed a little help with grammar her accent remained flawless.

The short man nearing his forties smiled courteously and typed at a console in a dark blue suit. "_Oh! Oh, excuse me, we've been waiting for you. Is your entire party of three here?_"

"_Yes,_" she answered, gesturing towards Inuyasha and Sango.

"_Here are three keys. Please enjoy your stay; I'll get somebody to escort you to your suite, ma'am._"

The three stood together, next to a youkai bellboy who kept their luggage on a cart. Sango guessed that the young man was of feline heritage, but Inuyasha insisted that he was definitely a wolf. "Only the smell of wolves can piss me off like this," Inuyasha had growled.

"Excuse me; are you Higurashi Kagome-san?"

Kagome was a little startled to hear the question in Japanese. She turned only to discover a video camera staring back at her, and panicked almost immediately.

"Inuyasha," She squeaked. Before she could react any further Sango darted in front of her, throwing her windbreaker over Kagome's head and leading her towards the nearest exit.

"What the fucking hell? Get away from her!"

"Pardon? Sir, wait a minute, please--"

"What the hell part of 'get away from her' do you not understand?" Flexing his claws Inuyasha swiped at the cameraman, barely missing, and then turned to swing at his companion who held a microphone.

"Why are you doing this!" the cameraman stumbled backwards, away from another hit from Inuyasha.

"Wait! Stop, Inuyasha, they've been hired!" Frenzied steps on a marble floor sounded and the hanyou froze, staring incredulously at Hojo, who stood panting next to Kagome and Sango.

"Hired? What the fuck is--"

"Mind telling us what's going on, Hojo-san?"

"Of course, Sango-san," the young man laughed nervously. Glancing between a confused Kagome and an annoyed Sango he gulped. "But it's still part of the surprise I mentioned… drop off your things in your suite and then come to mine where I can show you!"

Kagome bit back a reply, exchanging glances with Sango who shrugged her shoulders and gave a helpless smile. The two ladies then directed sidelong glances to Inuyasha, who was obviously fuming over the situation.

* * *

Yuka was stretched across a small blue couch when Hojo came bursting into the room, and back out to another. She sipped mango juice out of a can, watching his hired cameramen rush in after him. A grin spread across her face-- there was something endearing about a flustered man in love. She plucked a piece of pineapple from the fruit platter she had recently set out, eating it quickly.

"I take it Kagome's on her way?" she called after him.

"Hojo-san, where would you like us to stand?"

He frantically dashed back into the room, hands flailing as he shifted his gaze back and forth. "Hm…" Hojo paused, smiling at his mental picture of Kagome as she would notice the ring. She would probably drop the champagne glass it was in, but then! Then all of the tears she had ever shed because of him would become a distant memory as he would drop to one knee, gazing earnestly into her eyes. Only magic could follow; he was sure of this! What's more he'd have these moments to watch again, over and over and years later, maybe with their children…

…as soon as he could give the cameraman an answer. "I want the camera to face the door as she comes in, I think. Yes. Yes, let's just do that; she's probably almost here. Remember: most of all, I want her expression captured when I surprise her!"

A knock on the door interrupted them, and Hojo nodded to the cameraman who started rolling. Suddenly his throat was in a knot. He couldn't even ask them to come in! He stared helplessly at Yuka, who gave him a knowing nod and a placating smile.

She lowered her juice can. "Come in, you guys."

It seemed to take forever for the door to open. Kagome stepped inside, followed by Sango, and a bored-looking Inuyasha. Taking one look at the cameraman and one look at Hojo, who was grinning deliriously, Kagome sat herself on a chair near Yuka's couch. Yuka turned to remove her feet from the couch, motioning for Inuyasha and Sango to take a seat.

"I'll get us some champagne," Hojo mumbled, rushing out of the room.

"Great," Inuyasha replied. As he sat down on the couch's middle cushion Yuka beamed, linking an arm with his as she cuddled up next to him.

"My God," she giggled. "You are quite the _fox_, aren't you?"

Sango was suddenly reluctant to share a couch with the pair. She scooted far off to one side, as close to Kagome's chair as possible, trying not to frown as Inuyasha fumbled for a reply.

Kagome was irritated the minute she saw the cameramen in the room, and suddenly grew even more so, watching Inuyasha fail to respond. _I must be tired._ "Actually Hayashi-san," she chimed in once she realized that Inuyasha was too flustered to say anything, "He's not a fox at all. He's half dog!" She hoped the stupid joke would release some tension in the room.

Sango and Yuka both chuckled. Inuyasha gave a grateful look to Kagome and broke away from Yuka, yanking his arm away from her to slap his forehead in a feigned reaction to the joke. Yuka seemed oblivious to the subtle rejection.

"Hojo's taking a little long with the champagne. I'm going to see if he needs help."

"Oh, let me!" Kagome stood quickly but was pushed quickly back down into her chair.

"That won't do," Yuka said, smiling. "You just take it easy and let us serve you." With a toss of her auburn hair, she headed out of the room, finding Hojo on the floor. He crawled around, frantic and nearly in tears.

"Yuka, what happened after I left this room?"

"Ran down to my room because I forgot the fruit plate, and ran to the vending machine for some juice. What's wrong?" She glanced around the room double-checking the catered food: it was all there. Her eyes ran over to a cooler filled with ice and beer, to the plates and utensils, and finally to the tray of poured champagne. She exchanged a terrified glance with Hojo and walked closer to the glasses.

Slowly she began to count them: one per person, five in total. One glass in the center with the engagement ring nestled at the bottom… Yuka paused, looking between Hojo and the center glass.

There was no diamond ring.

"Oh my GOD," she nearly screamed; Hojo leaped up to cover her mouth.

"You're sure you or someone else didn't accidentally knock over a glass or something?" His eyebrows twisted in a plea. This couldn't be happening! The least he could do to make things up to Kagome, the _very least,_ would be to make sure this proposal was perfect.

Yuka's heart broke at the expression on his face. It grew more hopeless by the second, but she only shook her head in response. "Maybe a maid came in while I was out? We could call the front desk,"

"Did you guys get lost in there, or what?" Inuyasha's voice reached them from the other room.

_Jerk._ It was ridiculously obvious to Hojo that Inuyasha didn't want to be there, so why did he even bother coming? He wanted to hit something. "I'll just have to wing it for now."

"We're on our way out now, everyone!" Yuka grabbed the tray of champagne glasses and looked to Hojo who picked up the bottle, trailing after her. A false smile was plastered across his face.

"Sorry everyone, I couldn't find the corkscrew." Hojo passed out glasses and raised his. "Surprise, Kagome!"

She stared at him as he stepped towards her.

"I..." he looked around the room momentarily. "I... know that lots of this last TV show was shot at your... our expense. I want to apologize to you for that."

"I, uh, I understand, Hojo." Kagome exchanged glances with Sango and Inuyasha.

"So I spoke with the producer, and he… he came up with the idea to shoot an extra segment for the DVD release. A sort of, ah, personal wrap party. Each regular cast member gets one, and of course it was requested that I have you along because of what happened on _All Night Nippon_!"

Kagome tried to look enthusiastic. "So. That's the surprise, eh? Um..." A few days under a camera lens wasn't exactly what she had in mind.

"Awesome, isn't it? So come on, I've got lunch waiting in the kitchen." Hojo realized that Kagome's forced smile rivaled his own.

Sango looked over to Inuyasha, who looked like he was about to kill someone. "It's definitely a new experience," chimed in Sango.

"Heh heh..." Hojo drank his champagne quickly. "Let's start this party!"

* * *

The rest of the afternoon came quickly. After lunch Hojo had asked for Yuka's assistance while he went out, and the remaining trio was left with the cameramen at the beach. Before he left, Hojo instructed them to keep filming while he was away, but to let everyone have some non-camera time after the sun went down.

Inuyasha was parked on a beach towel, fuming at their situation. The sun was still high in the sky, and the heat and humidity showed no signs of mercy, so Sango and Kagome had decided to finally swim in the ocean. In white and red swim trunks Inuyasha brooded in the sand, watching them. A chance to relax before going back to their busy schedules was botched again due to Hojo's stupidity. This time, though, things didn't feel like Hojo's regular brand of "accidental insensitivity." Hojo understood too well that Kagome did not like to publicize their personal life. Why the hell did he do this? The Japanese public's knowledge of their relationship was already excessive; more than most other celebrities. Kagome's famous smile could only stretch so far to distract from what little privacy she had left.

That famous smile was across Kagome's face at the moment, as she and Sango played in the waves. Not too far behind them was the man holding the camera, and a couple of feet behind him ran the man holding a microphone.

Something was fishy. Inuyasha decided that he would make the two-man camera crew work hard for their money. Sighing, he stood.

"You girls had better fucking prepare yourselves!" he howled. As soon as the camera turned towards him he dashed at full speed towards Sango and Kagome. Ignoring their shrieks he snaked an arm around each of their waists taking them into the sky with a great leap.

"What on earth are you doing!" Kagome balled her fists and pounded on him as they plummeted quickly towards the water. Sango could only laugh.

"Hold your breath," he warned with a smirk. They landed into an oncoming wave which knocked them apart, sending a tangle of limbs, sand, and salt water flying messily in every direction. Once vertical again, the three couldn't stop their laughter.

Inuyasha glanced at the cameramen. They were quick to move away from any splashes. "I want you to notice something," Inuyasha mumbled beneath a smile for the camera. "Those cameras aren't waterproof. I don't know how far they can zoom, but there's gotta be a limit."

Sango raised an eyebrow, intrigued. She adjusted her halter-style bikini top, raising her elbows high in the air to cover her face as she adjusted the strap behind her neck. "It'd be good if one of us could distract the camera away from Kagome a little bit."

Kagome's smile resonated. "You guys are great." She jumped up as another wave washed into them.

"Inuyasha, take us out further, I've got an idea. Look like you're surprising us-- AAACK!" If her mouth hadn't have been full of salt water at the moment, she would have been laughing even harder. Once she noticed the camera was on them she started screaming again. "Let me go!"

Inuyasha didn't know how to react. "Hah! Uh... take that!"

"Wow, what original lines," Sango giggled, only loud enough for her companions to hear. Louder she screeched, "Let me _go_! I can't swim very well, you jerk!" Sango broke out of his grasp. As she waded to the shore, she turned to Inuyasha and Kagome. "You guys go out as far as you can go."

Inuyasha nodded, pulling Kagome out towards a buoy. "Hey."

"Yeah?"

"I know _you're_ a good swimmer." The corners of his mouth bent upwards. His eyes narrowed mischievously. Both of his hands closed around her waist and he hurled her as high as he could throw, up and out of the ocean. He laughed at her screams, knowing she would hit the water without incident. After Kagome landed back in the water and came back up to the surface, she whacked him on the head.

"Warn me before you're going to do that! I was terrified, you ass!" Even though her words were harsh, Kagome was laughing as she spoke.

"Heh. Sorry. Here's your warning." Without missing a beat Inuyasha hurled Kagome out of the water once more. She screamed again, and Inuyasha continued to terrorize her by dunking her head under water or flinging her around by her hands. As long as he could elicit a scream from Kagome his smile didn't disappear.

Slowly, he realized that perhaps he was having fun. Maybe his more feral side was delighting in alarmed screams from weaker, lesser humans as he flung them around mercilessly.

Well, of course with Kagome he had to exercise _some_ mercy.

He noticed that Kagome was waving at the shore. Turning around, he saw Sango waving at them from the beach. The camera was pointed at her as she posed a little bit and began doing kata across the sand. Inuyasha was almost envious of her fluid kicks and punches. "Hey... did you know she could do all of that?"

Kagome shook her head and pointed at Sango. "No. Did you know she could back flip like that?"

Inuyasha shook his head, dumbstruck.

Out in the water, the pair floated together, continuing to watch Sango.

"Okay, if she moves like that then why the hell is she a stylist?" Inuyasha wondered aloud.

"Search me. Hey, Inuyasha... let's go back soon."

Inuyasha turned his attention back to Kagome. "We just got out here, what's the matter? Isn't it nice to be far away from those guys?"

"Of course. I'm just getting tired of treading water, that's all."

"Keh! What a stupid thing to bitch about."

"_E_x_cuse_ me? Half our little two-person group doesn't have youkai stamina. I'm just trying not to drown, okay?"

"Oh, like I'd fucking let you drown! You actually don't trust me?"

Kagome rolled her eyes.

The hanyou's voice softened. "Just hang on to me if you're tired."

"Fine." Kagome moved behind Inuyasha, draping her arms over his shoulders. She rested her head against his, soothed by the motion of the water as her legs floated to the surface behind her.

It didn't take long for the sun to go down. Inuyasha grinned, watching the cameramen turn off their equipment and walk off the beach amidst families who packed away their coolers and folded their beach towels for the evening. He glanced to the head resting on his shoulders, staring into the pair of eyes that looked back at him.

"Ready to head back?"

"Sure."

Sango met them at the shore with their towels. "I think I'm gonna head inside to take a shower."

"Well, I need a nap." Inuyasha gestured towards Kagome. "It's not like it's hard carrying her around on my back, but maybe the flight took a little bit out of me."

It was still warm out, but as Kagome noticed the sunset she realized that the temperature was much more comfortable now. "You guys have fun. I think I want to stay out here a little longer." She patted herself dry and laid her towel out across the sand.

Kagome watched her two dear friends walk further and further away, under the remaining sunlight. Once they were out of sight she rolled onto her back, releasing a sigh. While she didn't know what to expect for the rest of this trip, she at least took comfort in the fact that she finally felt relaxed. Maybe sunsets had that effect on her.

Something about this one reminded Kagome of old times... Those memories circled in her mind while she inevitably succumbed to sleep.

* * *

"_Hideto-san,"_

_"That's just 'Hideto' to you, Kagome."_

_"H-hideto… it's my first time. Mama always told me never to touch a man's..."_

_He chuckled softly into Kagome's ear. "If you're scared, you don't have to."_

_She folded her arms. "Hey! I'm not naïve. Of course it's not going to bite me, but..."_

"'…_But?'"_

"_Will _you_? If I hurt it?"_

_There was another soft laugh. In hearing that laugh Kagome suddenly remembered why she loved his singing voice._

"_Kagome-chan, if those gorgeous fingers are just as delicate everywhere else as they are on the piano, you are welcome to run them over anything of mine."_

"_Just remember that this was _your_ idea." _

_Steeling herself, she stared down at the lacquer black 1962 Gretsch Duo Jet that stood ominously on its stand. Its nickel-colored frets glinted against the sun, reflecting spots of sunlight from behind six strings into Kagome's eyes. With a final nod of approval from Hideto and a reassuring pat on the shoulder she fingered its strap, pensively lifting it over her torso. Though the guitar was light the young woman was new to the unfamiliar weight that rested against her hips. Kagome looked back at Hideto with a helpless expression. "You're sure you want me to use this one? Don't you have an older, beat up one I can learn on?"_

_Her companion coolly ran a hand through his recently-bleached blonde hair. "This baby can pull off a lot of different sounds. Her tone is amazing, even without an amp. A great guitarist can make any guitar sound great, but you're new and need a bit of help. Take it from a former music teacher."_

_Kagome smirked. "Do you qualify as a full-fledged music teacher if you only taught the drums?"_

_  
Hideto rolled his eyes. "I should have known you'd know something like that."_

_  
"Anyone who's an official member of your fan club knows that, sheesh."_

"_Wow. And here I thought you'd be thrilled to learn to play on your favorite rock star's new guitar. Silly me," laughed Hideto._

_Kagome beamed, following Hideto to his couch and sitting down next to him. "'My favorite rock star?' Hey, I thought we were friends, now. Or are you still somewhat untouchable to me...?"_

"_I think you're already familiar with how I feel about your touching of my things."_

_It was Kagome's turn to laugh this time. She pointed accusingly at her companion, giggling madly. "That's sexual harassment! What will Mama say when she hears the kind of talk her young and impressionable high school-aged daughter is being exposed to?"_

_His smile turned goofy. "Yeah, who knows what kind of horrible habits I might instill upon you!"_

_"I know! If I hang around you any longer, I may accidentally contract some kind of guitar playing ability!"_

"_It's only natural that it happens after touching my instruments." Hideto winked, reaching into his pocket. He lifted Kagome's hand, barely brushing her fingers apart to place a guitar pick between them. "Let's at least use protection, ne?"_

_With a single toss of her hair Kagome yanked her hand away. "Dirty old man," she muttered, laughing._

_"Hey, I'm not that old. Let's get started before Tetsuya and Kaori get here with dinner. "_

* * *

"_When did you buy the Gretsch, you bastard?" A small-framed woman in her late twenties stood next to Kagome at Hideto's kitchen sink, drying dishes that Kagome washed._

"_Jealous?" Hideto shot back from the living room. Clad in black leather pants he was camouflaged from the waist down against his black leather couch. Gray socks dotted the presence of his feet as they rest across the cushions, shifting slightly when he reached for his beer._

"_Mochida-san, you play guitar, too?"_

_Kaori stopped what she was doing and turned to Kagome with an incredulous look on her face. "Kagome-chan, how can I get you to relax and drop the formalities? I want you to call me by my first name, okay? We're all friends here."_

_Kagome stared down into the sink, moving a sponge in circles over the plate in her hand. "Sorry. But Moch-- I mean, Kaori-san! You, and Tet-chan, and Hideto are all famous important people and compared to you, I'm just... a tragically boring kid accepting charity."_

_Kaori wrapped an arm around Kagome's shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "When we're here together, we're all just friends having a good time. Don't say things like that." She gathered a small pile of plates and began to put them away. "Maybe you don't see things the same way we do, Kagome-chan. The deeper you get into an industry like ours, the more you begin to realize certain things."_

"_The more you get into our industry, the harder it gets to spend time with people who aren't on your payroll," chimed in Tetsuya, Hideto's band mate and Kaori's boyfriend. He headed to the refrigerator, retrieving a couple more cans of Asahi beer before heading back to the living room. "You're lucky if you get along with them outside of a work environment."_

_Kagome rinsed her last dish and handed it to Kaori, who dried it. "This is why we treasure you, Kagome-chan." She moved a little closer to Kagome, looking back at Hideto before speaking in a quieter voice. "And just between you and me, I think you're what evens our little fireball out."_

_The younger girl lowered her eyes. "He's so nice to me even though I'm always such a burden!"_

_"Really?"_

_"He's teaching me guitar. He lets me bring Ayumi-chan here! Oh, and he introduces me to people like you. The other day when I played some piano for him he even offered to introduce me to some executives and said he could produce a demo!"_

_Kaori blinked. Though she knew Kagome had been playing piano since elementary school, she had never actually heard what her younger friend was capable of. "Kagome-chan, don't just talk to Hideto about all of this, he's not the only one with connections."_

_"Okay..." Kagome was a little alarmed at Kaori's sudden change in tone._

_"And... you know, you've really got to have the right personality for this. If you become popular you can kiss your privacy goodbye, for starters."_

"_I know, Kaori-san, but that's why this life is so great! All you have to do is sing, and all of a sudden everyone wants to know everything about you! When you do cool things like sky diving people think you're awesome and when you do boring things like buy groceries everyone wants to see!"_

_With a sigh, Kaori reached into the refrigerator, removing two beers. She handed one to Kagome. "You say things that I used to say a long time ago. Well fine, I can't stop you, but… if you really plan to pursue this promise me you'll weigh your options first."_

"_Of course!"  
_

_The older girl continued, shaking her head. "There're millions of fans and tons of money and respect to be gained, but this stuff is hard work, and the hours suck."_

_"Well, that's kinda standard, isn't it?"_

_"You can say that now but, Kagome-chan, we're talking about eighteen hour days, at any time of the day or night depending on what they want from you."_

_"Well, it's fine just as long as I'm doing what I love."_

_"Calling in sick doesn't exist. One cold means you can't sing. That's a missed performance, which is an insult to fans who could have spent hours waiting on the phone trying to buy that concert ticket, or who made special arrangements to come see you."_

_Kagome lowered her eyes, remembering how many times she had to redial the number to the ticketing agent's office just to get through to someone. To be able to get a L'Arc-en-Ciel concert ticket was no ordinary feat; the band habitually sold out venues in a matter of minutes. Even if she hadn't met Hideo that night, being at the concert would have been an irreplaceable experience. She completely sympathized with Kaori's words._

_"Most importantly, though: remember that for everything you achieve you'll have to give up something." Kaori popped the top of her can and began to gulp. "It always hurts… there's nothing that hurts like it. Count on the fact that total strangers will love you and total strangers will also hate and criticize you. For no real reason! Promise me you'll consider all of this."_

"_Sure, but I still say sign me up."_

_Kaori set her beer down and gripped Kagome's shoulders. Though she was gentle her words were slow and forceful. "I'm serious! Promise me."_

_Kagome's fingers tightened around the cool aluminum beer can. She had only known Kaori for a few months but she had never heard her friend speak so seriously before. The look in her eyes was so intense that Kagome looked away, fixating on the can's condensation as drops of water ran across the smooth surface of the Asahi logo, colliding with her thumb and then dripping off of her knuckle._

_In a more sober tone she finally answered. "I promise."_

_Kaori's hands fell to her sides. Her posture relaxed as she reached for her beer again. "Give that can to Hide-kun, he's gonna start whining for one any moment."_

_Like clockwork, a playful growl echoed into the kitchen. "I'm fuckin' thirsty, damn it! Somebody do something!"_

_Kagome turned to Kaori, bowing deeply. "I'll remember everything you said. Thank you."_

* * *

_There was still a deep shade of orange in the horizon that bled into violet just as it hit the stratosphere. From the thirtieth floor of Hideto's apartment building it was easy to see how the skyline looked like a sleeping creature. Lights from traffic on overpasses inched forward matching the tempo of a heartbeat, moving like blood flow streaming into the city. After a couple of rounds of beers (and C.C. Lemon for Kagome) Tetsuya and Kaori said their goodnights for the evening. They wanted time alone together. Once again Kagome was left with Hideto, perched on a stool near a window that stretched from floor to ceiling. It acted as the entire eastern wall of his living room. The stool was placed in what was made to be a sitting area; a carpeted step led up to an elevated part of the floor. Kagome gazed lovingly at the view while practicing scales on the black Gretsch. In a nearby black leather chair her companion was writing into a white leather-bound journal._

"_I want a window like this," Kagome murmured. "I could sit here forever."_

_He hummed in reply. _

_Kagome eventually reached difficulty, stumbling along a few notes. Hideto finally became aware that his pupil was having problems once he noticed that Kagome's playing had lost its rhythm. The notes echoing from the amp were quiet and unsure._

_He stood, setting his book down on the arm of the chair. With a short click of the tongue he admired Kagome's perseverance; if he waited another few minutes maybe she wouldn't need to helped, but he was already up the steps._

"_Problems?" With a laugh he moved behind the slightly frustrated girl, nosing over her shoulder and startling her._

"_Yeah, just trouble keeping time. Did my crappy playing disturb you?"_

_"Yes, actually."_

_Embarrassed, Kagome lowered her arms to her sides. She leaned to the right, allowing Hideto to grip the guitar from behind her. He had done this a couple of times earlier that day, and each time it made her cheeks feel hot. _

"_Hm." His fingers glided effortlessly along the neck as he played; Kagome stood in awe of the fluidity of his movements. She watched closely, hoping to glean any kind of technique she could. "You only started today. A little more practice and you're gonna have it down. Sorry I bothered you."_

_Kagome grinned, raising her hands back up to the guitar. Her fingers brushed his briefly and before she realized that they never actually made it back to the strings she felt his fingers slightly gripping hers._

_A wine red glow from the setting sun washed richly over them now. Their elongated shadows reached across the living room's champagne carpet as the pair remained silent except for a few soft breaths._

_Hideto buried his face into the curve of Kagome's neck, sighing and shaking his head. "I told myself I wouldn't do this."_

_Nervous, Kagome turned to look at him. She was able to muster one word. "Hm..?"_

_His hands let go of hers, closing around her waist. When he raised his head their eyes locked, and all he could think to do was press his lips against Kagome's. Before Kagome could put any thoughts into fruition, her body reacted with a gasp. She broke her friend's grip on her waist and stepped forward, away from him. Hideto's eyes sat wide on his face._

"_Kagome, I'm sorry. If I made you uncomfortable--"_

"_No! No, I don't know why I did that, Takarai-sa--"_

"_Hideto."_

_  
"Hideto, I'm sorry; I didn't know what to do! I've never kissed anyone before. I'm sorry, I- I just panicked..." _

Why did I do that? _ Kagome clenched her fists. Everything new that she experienced with her grown-up friends only exposed her inexperience in life._

_Hideto blinked. Realization passed in a matter of seconds and his eyebrows knitted fretfully. "Oh my God." From the front this time, he moved to hug Kagome, guitar and all. "I stole your first kiss? Damn it, I can't even control myself. Will you forgive me? Shit. I'm so sorry, Kagome."_

"_It's... not like you did anything bad." Kagome returned his hug._

"_I'm so sorry. Damn it, it always feels like with you I get carried away and forget, no, maybe I just wish that you weren't still in high school... but don't think I'm trying to force you into anything! Kaori's already pretty mad at me for the things I think about you... I guess I can see why."_

You're not the only one who wishes I were older,_ she wanted to say. To Kagome this botched kiss only strengthened her desire to become a singer. Or just a celebrity. As long as she became something better than a loser schoolgirl, she would be satisfied. Hideto could befriend whoever he wanted! Why would he choose to spend time with her? She couldn't figure it out. She didn't want to take his friendship for granted and lose it. _If I were only famous like them, _Kagome often reasoned, _I could really repay them for being so nice to me.

"_Hideto?" Kagome had already made up her mind. She would become like them._

"_Kagome, why do I always have to remind you to call me Hideto--oh, wait." They laughed, and the room that was previously filled with tension began returning to normal._

"_Kaori-san's really sweet, but I think she worries too much about stuff." The young girl removed the guitar strap from her shoulder, setting it gently back onto its stand. She turned towards Hideto again, placing her hands on his arms with new resolve. "I'll handle anything you throw at me... because I want to be like you." After a little hesitation Kagome pecked Hideto awkwardly on the lips, as if challenging him. She didn't close her eyes, instead choosing to watch Hideto's reaction, and pulled away when she felt hands moving up her back in an attempt to deepen the kiss._

"_Will you help me, 'Sensei?' Let's just be friends." She wanted to giggle when she saw Hideto's perplexed expression._

"_Friends with benefits?"_

"_What's that?"_

_"Damn it, Kagome!" With a laugh Hideto lightly hit Kagome's head with his fingers. He handed her the guitar again, motioning for her to sit back on the stool. "You fucking tease. I feel sorry for anyone who ends up falling in love with you."_

_"No, really, what does that mean?"_

_After a few moments of silence he spoke. "Speaking of Kaori, I noticed that you two were having a pretty serious conversation in the kitchen. What the hell did you say to get her that riled up?"_

_Kagome pretended not to hear him at first, starting on her scales once more._

"_Hideto," she finally answered. "You're not helping me just to humor me, are you?"_

"_Gimme a chord."_

"_What?"_

"_D major," he answered simply. Kagome blinked. After recalling the fingering she strummed it with a shrug of her shoulders._

"_For four counts, just because you didn't specify." _

_Hideto raised an eyebrow, surprised. "A major, D minor, do what you will." His pupil shook her head, clumsily repeating the chords back to him._

"_Now sing."_

_"At the same time?"  
_

"_If you can handle whatever I throw at you." He grinned._

_She smiled back at him. "Sing what?"_

_"Whatever."_

_Kagome shrugged again, switching between two chords. It took a little bit before she could slip between them smoothly; she then started singing as soon as words came to her._

"I met this ero-jiji in Osaka one day,_" she started._

"_Hey! Who are you calling a perverted old man?"_

"What on earth does 'friends with benefits' mean anyway

"_Damn you! Keep at it, I'm gonna get a drink before I start to think things that will land me in jail."_

"Will you drive me home,

Bring me home,

Take me home tonight, again?

Momma says I've got to be there by eleven…

"_Damned smartass girl."_

* * *

_Left, left, right, and step._

Hojo hadn't come back last night.

_Turn, tap, tap, tap. Hip, wink._

He didn't return her phone calls, either. It wasn't because his cell phone didn't work in this country-- Kagome gave him a satellite phone last Christmas. She didn't know if Yuka had one but left her a message as well.

Should she have called the police? Did she need to wait for a certain period before doing so? What if Hojo and Yuka got into an accident? Would it be wise to look up the numbers of local hospitals?

_Forward, step, spin, and drop._

In the meantime, Kagome figured it wouldn't hurt to practice for her upcoming video. The video shoot would come soon after her return to Japan. Ocean waves crashed behind her while she turned and strutted for the camera and other onlookers in a string bikini. It was barely ten a.m., but it already felt as if the heat were in full force. Almost as soon as Kagome started dancing she had worked up a sweat.

"Well I'll be damned; you _do_ know your moves."

"Thanks for the faith," laughed Kagome. "Honestly now, did you think I was lying to you?" Once she stopped dancing she was surprised at the sound of applause from surrounding people.

Inuyasha smirked as she waved to them. "Keh. If I don't ride your ass who else will?" He walked away from the water a bit to place his backpack and some towels on the sand. Once the people dispersed he moved towards Kagome and sniffed loudly. "Speaking of riding your ass, you're no good at a video shoot with a sunburn. Put this on. Heads up."

Kagome blinked at the bottle of sun screen being tossed in her direction. Barely catching it, she began to apply the lotion. The bottle was then handed back to Inuyasha. Pooling her hair on top of her head, Kagome turned away from her manager. "Get my back, please?"

"Yeah." While Inuyasha couldn't deny that he was waiting for this, he forgot that cameras would be there. In seemingly rough, mechanical moves the lotion was smoothed over Kagome's shoulders and back. Inuyasha's eyes moved with his hands as they pressed into Kagome's skin. He noticed that her bikini was coming loose. "So... I came out here for a couple of reasons."

"Oh?"

With his hands still lightly coated in sun screen he paused a bit and looked at the camera. "Is there anything I can do to get you two to take a break? This is... kinda on the personal side."

They looked a little apprehensive but the tones in the cameramen's voices were understanding. "That's fine."

"We'll just take our lunch break right now; see you in an hour, Higurashi-san. Inuyasha-san."

"'Preciate it." For once Inuyasha smiled at them as they headed back towards the hotel.

"Okay, you're scaring me Inuyasha. What's going on?"

"You wanna be scared?" With a flick of his wrist Inuyasha untied the string in Kagome's bikini top.

Just as expected, Kagome screamed. She rushed to hold her top against her chest and turned towards her manager briefly. "Wh... what the hell was that for? Don't you dare say you didn't actually have anything to tell me! Put it back the way it was!"

With a laugh, Inuyasha complied. "No, I was being honest about that. Your top was coming undone so I wanted to fix it." He double-knotted his bow. "Was just breaking the ice."

"If taking a girl's clothes off is how _you_ break the ice it suddenly doesn't surprise me that I never see you with a girlfriend."

"Keh, if I'm busy taking a girl's clothes off do you honestly think I'd let you sit there and watch?"

"...shut up. Didn't you have something to say?"

"Yeah." Inuyasha placed his hands on Kagome's shoulders, massaging the remaining sunscreen from his palms into her skin. "So... we got a message from Hojo from the front desk." He steadied his hands on Kagome's shoulders, anticipating that she would turn around. Just as he predicted he felt her muscles tense, and then relax once his grip tightened. Once he was finished massaging Kagome's shoulders he moved to rub her back. If there was anything Inuyasha could do to stop Kagome from yelling in the next few minutes, it would be this.

"Why didn't he just call me back? I don't get it..."

"Shh. So anyway there was an important appointment that they forgot about in Tokyo, and they had to go back for a day."

"What! Yuka's so good at scheduling-- how could she double-book like that? Well, is he coming back? Why are we still letting those guys film us when--"

"I told you to shut up for a second, Kagome! He'll be back tomorrow night, and you guys'll have a full day together before we have to go back. In the meantime, what is it that you always tell me? Those two camera guys are just doing their job. Cut 'em some slack."

She was silent for a while. Inuyasha wasn't really sure what to say anymore, so he quietly lay out a towel. Eventually she spoke again. "What's in the backpack? Just supplies?"

"It's about fucking time you asked," the hanyou answered, keeping his tone cheery. "You _did_ say the snorkeling here was kickass, so..."

Kagome was all smiles again when she watched Inuyasha pull three masks from the pack.

"As soon as Sango finishes doing whatever the hell she does in the morning let's go."

"Definitely!"

"Hell yeah." As usual, Kagome's smile was contagious.

* * *

Under a blanket of night Inuyasha, Sango, and Kagome sat together on the beach sipping beers. Their previous day of snorkeling was fun but tiring, so all three resolved to do nothing complicated the next day. Unfortunately for Inuyasha this meant shopping for Kagome and Sango. Generally speaking, shopping was something the hanyou wasn't fond of.

He didn't mind picking out souvenirs to take back to Shippo and others, but complained when Kagome agonized over a present to send to Hideto. Since before she had met Inuyasha, and since she met Hideto Kagome had always made a point to buy her mentor a souvenir every time she vacationed outside of Japan. Though Inuyasha understood that Kagome truly cared about the people in her life he still couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of the effort she put into finding the right present. It wasn't a rational feeling-- he knew that Kagome did this for others including him, but something in Hideto intimidated him in ways he would never admit aloud. There were only two men in Kagome's life who shared one important distinction: Kagome absolutely adored both her dead father _and_ Takarai Hideto without having ever met them. Once Kagome had actually met Hideto... she must have only admired him more. Perhaps Inuyasha would never know whether or not the rock star took advantage of Kagome's feelings. When she talked about her mentor and those high school days she only spoke of the music, even though the sweet expression on her face hinted at something extra.

Did Hojo and Hideto get along? Inuyasha couldn't imagine such a thing. He finished yet another beer.

"You know, I kinda feel bad for those cameramen."

"I can think of a few reasons why, but why do you say that, Sango-chan?"

"We're here at a beach resort and they didn't bring any beach-friendly cameras."

Predictably, Inuyasha scoffed. "If I had to choose a major theme for this trip it'd be... a complete lack of foresight."

"Yeah," replied Sango and Kagome in unison.

"I doubt that Kagome-chan minds too much, though."

Sango was answered with Kagome's giggling. "No, I can't say I mind at all. How about you, Inuyasha?"

He laughed, reaching for another beer. Before he could open the can he recognized a familiar silhouette walking towards them. Inuyasha put the can down and stood, coaxing Sango to stand. "We, uh… we should probably go."

"Hm?" Sango looked up and nodded with recognition. Hojo was back. Bending to hug Kagome goodnight, she sadly noticed that the cameramen followed him.

Kagome looked up, and then back at her companions upon recognition. "Good night." Why was there a knot forming in her belly all of a sudden? She remained still, pressing one hand on her stomach until Hojo reached her. The fact that Kagome was actually going to get to spend some time with Hojo left her fumbling for what to do next.

"Hi."

"Long time no see, huh?" Hojo took a seat next to his girlfriend, draping an arm around her shoulders. "So… how do you like this place?"

"Well it's not like I haven't been to this country before." Kagome didn't realize how short she sounded until she heard herself speak. "It hasn't been bad. Can't say I'm too fond of the cameras, but work is work, isn't it?"

After a long sigh Hojo finally spoke again. "I don't like keeping things from you, Kagome."

For the first time that evening Kagome made eye contact with Hojo. She spoke slowly. "What do you mean by that?" The presence of the camera crew finally registered with her. Staring back at Hojo she watched them out of the corner of her eye.

"I need to tell you the real reason why I asked you to come here."

With those words the sound of the waves faded from Kagome's mind. All she could hear was the rustling of sand as Hojo shifted in his seat to take her hand, and she clung desperately to that sound as if it were the only thing holding her to reality. This was too good to be true. She hadn't been alone with Hojo in what seemed forever, so why would she suddenly be able to have him to herself now?

"This isn't a shoot for TV, or for any DVD extras."

Of course Kagome understood his words, but she showed no comprehension. Why were they here, then? Her only reply was to stare at him.

"I hired these men personally, to record something important..." As Hojo reached into his pocket Kagome found herself unwilling to form any thoughts about what he was doing. "I had one of these especially made for you, but it was lost. I went back to Japan to see if I could get another one, but I couldn't get it in a day." Hojo moved in front of her, never letting go of her hand as he held it to his chest. With his free hand he held up a gold ring with a single, large, square-cut diamond. "So please accept this."

In a rush of senses the waves crashed again, the wind blew away stray strands of hair on her face, and Hojo sat before her surrounded by the sky and stars. With wide eyes Kagome yanked her hands up to cover her mouth, holding her fingers rigid as if to stop her breath from escaping. Her shoulders shook under the intensity of the world around her, but the warmth of her boyfriend's hands was calming as he took her own from her face.

"I don't need to explain how long I've been in love with you. You already understand."

Kagome nodded.

"I'd be the luckiest man in the world if you could forgive me for everything that's happened. This time I know I screwed up, but I hope you can still understand how sincerely I tried to make this moment perfect. Will you forgive me? Will you allow me to be your husband?"

Before she answered Kagome was distracted by the cameraman running behind Hojo to get a better shot of her. She shook the sight out of her mind, reaching for the ring and smiling. "Of course I forgive you." Placing the ring in her pocket, Kagome stood and pulled Hojo by the hand. "But from here on out, moments that concern the two of us will only belong to the two of us." She turned to the cameras and winked before leading Hojo back to the hotel.

Placing a kiss on his cheek, Kagome whispered in his ear. "Let's continue this conversation in your room, and maybe you can _show_ me how you feel. In great detail, if possible."

"Anything for you." Hojo squeezed her hand. What had been recorded had been enough for him. He already knew that he would watch this video over and over...

* * *

Yuka stared down at her fruit plate, and over to the scrambled eggs and bread sitting on serving dishes. "It's way past noon; do you think we should see if they want breakfast before we put things away?"

"Keh! If Hojo's a real man they've already had 'breakfast' several times." With arms folded, Inuyasha tossed a strand of hair from his face.

"Why would they order room service when-- oh." Blushing, Yuka finished her food.

If he were in front of friends, Inuyasha would have been smashing things instead of sulking in a chair. For many of the men who worked with Kagome it was hard not to get a little bit of a crush on her. Crew members were notoriously jealous of Hojo for obvious reasons but next they envied Inuyasha, who spent more time with Kagome than anybody else. Sango stood from the couch she was sitting in and made a point to pat Inuyasha between the ears. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going through his head.

After cleaning up Yuka, Sango, and Inuyasha went their separate ways for the day. Later on that night Hojo and Yuka would return to Tokyo; the next morning Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sango would leave as well.

Inuyasha had contemplated wandering around Cebu for a day, but instead settled on exploring the beach. He felt too lazy to put on shoes and a t-shirt, anyway. For hours he waded in the water, flirted with girls who talked to him, and even tried collecting shells before getting bored and flinging them into the water.

By the time the moon had risen overhead Inuyasha found himself perched on a cliff. He felt a little remorseful that there wasn't any more time to enjoy this view. _It figures,_ he mused to himself, _I'm too fucking stubborn to realize I'm having a good time until it's too late. _Though Inuyasha wasn't always happy about his stubbornness he also acknowledged that it helped him have the discipline to stay focused on what was important to Kagome's career. If he were always by her side, he could always be there to keep her work ethic in check. He would always take care of her.

A splash was heard. Below, close to the water, a white swimsuit caught Inuyasha's eye. Alone Kagome spun next to an incoming wave, once again practicing her dance moves. Okay, so _I can't take all the credit for her work ethic..._ At first Inuyasha decided to just watch. There was no question that he admired Kagome no matter what she was doing, but just as it calmed him to see her sleep it also calmed him to look at her when she thought nobody was paying attention. She danced with such fluid grace, and the tide came in as if the ocean wanted to join her.

Eventually the moment had to end. Inuyasha jumped down to the beach, startling Kagome enough to squeak.

"How long were you there?" she laughed, slightly embarrassed.

"Long enough to know that the video's gonna kick ass."

"It will if I can stick the last few steps without that weird bend in my knee."

"Keh." Casually, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's left hand and examined the ring that now rest on her finger. When his eyes met Kagome's she smiled a little, as if asking for approval.

"They went back to Japan because he lost the first ring."

"He couldn't buy one here?"

"It's kindova long story." She noticed that Inuyasha hadn't let go of her hand yet. "In any case, though, I need to hide this thing once we get home. It's gonna be a frenzy if somebody notices and takes it as some sort of promotional stunt, y'know?"

"Shit... but even if people thought that, I doubt they'd think any less of you."

"_I _would think less of me. There's already enough that's happened around me to undermine the fact that I want to be recognized for what I can _do_, not who I'm with or what happens outside of the singing and dancing."

"Dammit, Kagome, it makes you human. Not many people are gonna fucking argue that you're _not_ a fucking kickass dancer and singer, so no matter what happens that'll always be the truth. You make people wanna know you, and it makes them happy when you let them once in a while."

Kagome squeezed Inuyasha's hand, smiling up at him. "Gee Inuyasha. Just go ahead and make my job sound fun and fulfilling, why don't you?"

"Isn't it?"

"Of course it is."

"Are you happy?"

"Of course I'm happy. We've all worked so hard."

Inuyasha raised Kagome's hand to examine the ring. It was nice, but gold wasn't his style. He preferred platinum, and a round cut diamond. He gestured towards the ring. "Are you happy about this?"

She was quiet, but her smile remained. "...yes."

Inuyasha let go of Kagome's hand, encompassing her in his arms. She returned his hug, squeezing him as tightly as possible in an effort to stop her tears from coming, but they did anyway. With one hand Inuyasha brushed the tears off of her cheeks. He looked at her as he held her, in awe of how the moon illuminated her skin so perfectly. She gazed back at him, happy to see him calm for a change. For a while they stayed like this, comfortable in each other's silence. Eventually Inuyasha closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to her forehead and causing Kagome to gasp for a second.

"Then I'm happy, too."

"Inuyasha... thank you."

* * *

**Notes: **

Yeah, this chapter's easily the longest one yet, but it was important to me that all of these things happened together. Sorry you guys had to wait so long, but priorities are priorities, eh?

As I already said, I've put up applicable info (and stuff about the characters based off of Japanese celebrities), drawings, and whatever else is relevant up at its own web site! You can visit it at this address (be sure to remove the spaces I've added, of course!):

www. pinku. net/fadeflare

Thank you for reading!


	7. Christmas 2005 Side Story: Mistletoe

Fade and Flare Side Story - Mistletoe

* * *

Upon awakening, it was all too apparent that it had been dark for hours. Kagome blinked a few times and sat up quickly. For the last three days she had isolated herself with her piano, dissatisfied with her work. All she needed was one perfect single. One perfect melody. She had a handful of lesser melodies already devised. A smattering of lyrics had been written too-- all enough for three or four songs.

None of them were single material. To Kagome's standards perhaps they weren't even album-worthy, which meant they would be coupled with singles.

It didn't take long for Kagome to realize that her neck hurt. Her face also started to sting, crushed under the weight of her head against piano keys. The piano chirped when Kagome finally sat up, rubbing the skin on her face as she stood and walked towards a window. Damn. The keys left an imprint on her face; she could feel it with her fingertips.

Tokyo at night was always so bright and lively, twenty-five stories below Kagome's window. By the time the end of December came around the metropolis was splashed in rich reds and greens, and on this particular night snow tumbled softly from the sky. Kagome's eyes followed stray flakes that twisted and swirled, shrinking from sight into the wide world below.

Her stomach didn't care, though. It gurgled at her, cranky from neglect. What time was it? Hopefully she could take a quick hop to the store. Kagome dashed back to her piano, intent on checking the time on her cell phone. For a brief minute a blue light shone onto her face as she activated the backlight. There were a couple of missed calls from Hojo, and a quick text message from her boyfriend:

_Merry Christmas from Okinawa, Kagome! Can't wait until I come home on New Year's Day._

Kagome sighed, smiling. Oh yes, the time... 6:47 P.M. Wonderful! Before Kagome could pocket the phone her eyes caught on another set of numbers. 25... 12...

"What!" she exclaimed, nearly dropping the phone. How on earth did Christmas sneak up on her? Kagome pulled her hair into a wide-brimmed hat and grabbed her purse, coat, and a heavy scarf as she ran for the door.

* * *

Why Kagome decided to go to KFC for food was beyond her, and she wasn't about to question how she had managed to buy a Kurisumasu Box chicken dinner for four without being recognized. The restaurant was pretty crowded, and perhaps everyone was already preoccupied with getting home on time. 

It was getting colder by the minute as she rushed across the sidewalk. Thankfully the gate to Inuyasha's house was in sight, and his Porsche was in the driveway. _How predictable, he's cooped up at home._ Kagome soundlessly slipped into the gate and ran the last few steps to the door, giggling at how he made an effort to get a gate installed, even though that and his door were always left unlocked when he was home.

"Inuyasha?" called Kagome from the entryway. She placed the box on the ground beside her while she removed her damp boots, and located her pair of fuzzy house slippers. Retrieving the box again, Kagome stepped slowly into the living room. While the television was on, nobody was here. She shuffled to the kitchen. Inuyasha was still nowhere to be found. Sighing, Kagome deposited her food on the kitchen counter, hoping he wasn't asleep.

She didn't have to walk much further. As she passed by his empty bedroom and empty office, the door to the furo opened. In the space of a few seconds Kagome collided with a gust of hot air and Inuyasha, rubbing his wet hair with a towel.

Her manager raised an eyebrow. "Hey. What're ya doing here?"

Kagome spun around, turning to face Inuyasha, who was so casual in posture as he stood at the door. A single drop of hot water trailed off of his neck, caressing its way across Inuyasha's bare chest like a fingertip until it disappeared into his belly button. The hanyou blinked. Kagome's face was so red and flushed from the steam! He didn't _think_ the bathroom was so hot. Oh well.

"I, uh, brought some chicken. KFC, if you're hungry?"

"Great, I'm pretty starved! No time to cook and stuff. How's the single going?"

Kagome's shoulders drooped.

"That well, huh? We'll have to talk about what's going on, but first let's eat!" He paused a moment. "What's wrong?"

"No, nothing wrong. It's just…" Kagome gestured overhead to a tight green bundle of mistletoe, held together by a red ribbon. "Never thought I would see something like that in _your_ house. Why is it hanging over the bathroom door?"

Inuyasha slumped. "Was a gift. 'Cept I don't need it to get chicks, _or_ kisses, so I put it in a place where it wasn't gonna do harm."

"Whoops," mumbled Kagome.

"Yeah… whoops."

_Kagome looks so much like her, _he realized, sighing at memories from just a few months ago. When Kagome wasn't laughing or frowning, something in her eyes reminded him of his black-haired girlfriend who chose to break up by leaving a note on his nightstand. They had parted ways only a few months ago.

"Well?"

"What?"

"What are you waiting for? Kagome gestured towards the mistletoe again. "I'm starving and you probably need a t-shirt. Plant one on me and let's go."

"Uh. Right." Inuyasha steeled himself, placing either hand on Kagome's shoulders. He couldn't bear to break eye contact with Kagome, for fear of missing his target. As he moved closer to her their eyes locked, and suddenly a quick peck turned into an ordeal. Kagome's small hands raised to grip Inuyasha's clawed hands, still glued to her shoulders as the distance between them closed slowly.

Their eyes closed. Inuyasha held his breath as he brushed Kagome with his lips, narrowly missing hers by a centimeter. Kagome's hand squeezed Inuyasha's, and as quick as the kiss was finally executed was how quickly they parted. Before anything further could be done, Kagome's hands clapped together. "That's it! I've got my melody now!"

Though he hadn't quite recovered from what had just happened Inuyasha nodded as if he hadn't missed a beat. "Um… good. Want to borrow my tape recorder to put it together right now?"

"You know I do," laughed Kagome.

"So then… does that mean I get all the chicken to myself?"

Kagome sighed. "Merry Christmas to you too."

* * *

This is really meant to take place (either months or a year) before the tour in Chapter 1, and Inuyasha's ex-girlfriend in Chapter 1 is the same as the one he thinks of here.

Merry Christmas everyone! This was just written on a whim tonight, and I'm DEAD tired now, so I'll leave it at that. Will add cultural notes with the chapter 7update (still working on it, fu fu fu). Got suddenly inspired by reading about the role of KFC in Japan during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Mmm, chicken. :9


	8. 7: Boys and Men

I guess I never said this before, but Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shonen Sunday, and more companies I'm too lazy to look up.

* * *

On top of a white grand piano sat Kagome's engagement ring, neatly in the center amongst a worn notepad, two sharpened pencils, and a crystal vase, stocked with white roses. In a cozy white room with cherry wood flooring that white Shigeru-Kawai SK7 stood alone with its bench, in the middle of the room except for a few burgundy chairs in one corner, and a huge window overlooking Tokyo sitting opposite from the doorway. Soft footsteps sounded; white slippers clapped down the hallway until they reached the piano room. 

Kagome carried a tall glass of water as she headed to the piano bench. She took a sip, exchanging the glass for the notepad and a pencil from atop her piano. As she took a seat on the bench, cozy in snow gray fleece pajama pants and white cotton tank top, her eyebrows furrowed. Afternoon light filtered in through the window in warm yellow rays, and Kagome stared blankly at the sky while forming her thoughts. The pencil's eraser bounced off of Kagome's notepad in time with her humming.

It had been a little over three months since her trip to Cebu. When she returned to Tokyo things were business as usual. She was swamped in photo shoots and interviews for _B-Pass_ and _Pop Beat_ magazines because of her new single and accompanying promotional video. New singles also meant that Kagome would be invited to perform on, at the very least, _Music Station_, _Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ_, and _Pop Jam_. This time Inuyasha flat out refused to have any more TV performances booked than the three. Work on an album was going to start soon; though Kagome would only reuse choreography from the music video for her performances adjustments had to be made for each set and stage she would be on. Her _Pop Jam_ and _Music Station_ performances were going to use the shortened version of the song, so their dances would differ from her extended _Hey! Hey! Hey!_ performance and interview. Because of all of the talk about songs and the creative process in her interviews Kagome was inspired; she wanted to use the momentum to write more songs. There were so many ideas bottled up inside of her...

Hojo had his own work to contend with, busying himself with commercial endorsements for Glico and appearing on a few variety shows. The time he spent with Kagome was very little as they both predicted, and they were only able to spend a handful of nights together, and had maybe a handful of lunch and dinner dates. If not for Kagome's insistence they would have met a lot less. Hojo and seemingly the rest of the world knew how Kagome often buried herself in projects, and though she didn't mention it Hojo knew she wasn't allowing herself to sleep some nights. She did this every time she wrote a new album, working tirelessly on lyrics and new beats in the studio as if she were possessed. He wanted her to stay healthy. To emphasize this, on their dates he often brought her things like herbal teas that helped the body relax, or a CD of rainforest sounds he picked up overseas to help her sleep. On a brisk morning in mid-December Kagome fumbled to find her hanko stamp as she signed for a new electric massage chair, compliments of Hojo.

The moment Kagome stopped humming she took some notes, and played the tune on the piano.

"Yes!" With a smile of accomplishment Kagome squealed excitedly, playing her song from the beginning. Part of the way through Inuyasha appeared in the entryway to Kagome's home, followed by a dark-haired man in a black three-piece suit with a wisp of a ponytail at the base of his neck. Inuyasha's white ears twitched and rotated as he heard the piano. Once his shoes were removed he led his companion towards the piano room, stopping in the hallway so as not to interrupt her. When the song ended Inuyasha and the dark-haired man clapped, startling Kagome as they entered the room.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing here?" Kagome smiled at him, and tipped her head to see who was with him. "Miroku-sama!"

"Kagome-sama!" Kagome's agent smiled when she jumped up from the piano bench to give him a hug.

"You guys are retarded." Inuyasha rolled his eyes at their exaggerated use of honorifics.

Pouting, the pair turned to Inuyasha.

"Don't be like that, Inuyasha-sama," giggled Kagome.

"Really, Inuyasha, Kagome-sama and I are just... eternally grateful to each other. I find the kickass jobs..."

"...And I do the kickass work. And we all win!"

"Okage-sama," laughed the pair in unison while they bowed at each other. Inuyasha slapped his palm to his face.

"No, no, thanks to _you._ Okage-sama de..."

"No, I insist, Kagome-sama, thanks to _you._"

"Thanks to you!"

"Okage-sama! Kagome-sama!"

"Dammit, just shut the fuck up already, you two are so damned dorky when you're in the same room!" As harsh as his words were Inuyasha was laughing. He laughed even louder as Kagome swatted Miroku on the head for suddenly being... overly friendly.

"Keep your hand off of my butt, Miroku-sama." Kagome's tone was cheery, and a smile was wide across her face even as she scolded her friend. She knew he meant no harm-- he had always been overly affectionate with women. It was a practice that, surprisingly, helped his career depending on his execution.

Miroku rubbed the sore spot on his crown. "Ah, Kagome-sama, I've now been put in my place. Okage-sa--"

"Say it AGAIN and I'll rip that pretentious little ponytail out of your head!"

Miroku cleared his throat. "Very well, let's just get comfortable," he sighed, still smiling.

Miroku and Inuyasha took their seats in Kagome's burgundy chairs while she returned to her piano. With a foot on the damper pedal she played softly and idly, looking over to her companions. "What's going on guys?"

Inuyasha shot Kagome a thumbs-up. "Before I forget-- a little good news, first. New single debuted at number one today. We accidentally dethroned Morning Musume again... keep it up and those little girls are gonna show up on your doorstep, crying!"

"Ah, nice."

"What's with that nonchalant attitude? You've been rolling in number one singles so much that you don't care anymore?" laughed Inuyasha. He liked to tease her even though he knew she cared more about how well her work was done than its Oricon Chart position, and sometimes even the record sales. The days when Kagome was younger and struggling for a breakout hit had long since passed.

"Maybe you should offer Kagome-sama some kind of incentive for each number one? Like a dinner date..."

"Keh, that's more like a punishment." Inuyasha winked at Kagome. "I'd be stealing away precious time that could be spent with her fiancée, after all."

"What's this? Fiancée?" Miroku directed his gaze to Kagome, who had stopped playing and was now staring into her lap. She reached for her ring from the top of the piano and handed it to him.

"Wow. Congratulations to the both of you. I take it this is not yet public knowled--"

"NO!" Kagome and Inuyasha were surprised at how loudly they shouted.

"An album's coming up. I don't want people to think that this has anything to do with that."

"Of course, I understand. When's the big date?"

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, curious about her answer.

Smiling slightly, Kagome returned to her soft piano playing. "We haven't set one yet. I don't know if we're just gonna exchange rings or make it into a big deal for family and friends."

"Either way let me know so that I may give an appropriate gift."

"Now that that's all taken care of," Inuyasha interrupted clearing his throat, "As much as it's fun to visit with each other we came over for a reason." The tone in the hanyou's voice was still jovial but now business-minded.

"I'm listening." For a moment the three were silent as Kagome practiced her newest song.

Miroku sat back in his chair, crossing his legs. "How would you describe your career, Kagome?"

She continued playing, tipping her head in thought. "Busy."

"So would you say it was flourishing?"

"Easily," she laughed. "But I like things like this."

"Fair enough. Now the big question."

Kagome already knew where this was going. Ever since they realized that she could speak English well, even before she had made much of a name for herself, Inuyasha and Miroku had always proposed the same idea.

"It's that time, isn't it?" Kagome finally stopped playing and turned to face her manager and agent, resting her elbow on the top of the piano. "Do you guys think I'm ready?"

With a smirk, Inuyasha folded his hands in his lap. "You know we have to do it right. What I want to know from _you_ is if you're ready to... to start over."

"Before we can make a commitment to you, Kagome-sama," Miroku continued, "I have to know that you want to do this and that you're going to commit to _us_. Are you going to give one hundred percent for your English debut? Right now, Japan has no International mainstream pop stars. Can you handle the rest of the world?"

"As always," she answered, "I'll simply do whatever is asked of me." Kagome stood, crossing the room to hug Inuyasha and Miroku. "I trust you two to take care of me as long as I do my job."

"Ah, Kagome-sama, we believe in you." It didn't take long for Miroku's hand to creep up to where it didn't belong. With a screech, Kagome's hand tugged hard at her agent's ponytail until he removed the offending hand from her butt.

"Make three to four songs in English for this upcoming album, and we'll use them for your demo. I'll make some calls in the meantime, and Inuyasha, you keep her in line."

"Hear that, Kagome? Not too many dates, do you think you can handle that?"

"Of course. Hojo will understand."

* * *

_Things were way too weird. A few months passed since Kagome had even spent a Sunday with her friends from school. Nobody but Ayumi seemed alarmed at Kagome's sudden disappearance. When asked, Ayumi would only say one thing: that Kagome was... just really busy lately._

_Hojo knew that at some point Kagome snuck off to Osaka to see a concert. She had been punished. Perhaps she was restricted from going anywhere for a while, but for as long as he knew Kagome's mother she wasn't the type of parent who would punish Kagome for this long. He had already given up trying to get any answers from Kagome, too. Since he lived nearby he often saw her running down the steps of the Higurashi shrine on some evenings and almost every Sunday, as if in a hurry. He grew even more curious on days when Kagome left her home dressed in what looked like expensive clothes. When asked where she had gone, Kagome would just smile and change the subject. _

_Because they had been friends for so long Hojo was frustrated that nobody would tell him anything. Nobody but Ayumi seemed to know why Kagome was acting so differently. She was still kind to her friends, funny, and energetic. However something important was going on in Kagome's life; he could at least figure out that much. It was as if one day when nobody was watching, Kagome began to carry herself with infinite poise. As if she was above the world. While she had never been an insecure girl something inside of her suddenly exhumed confidence and happiness, so much so that the popular kids in class were intimidated by her. They didn't understand why, nor did they think about it, as cliques often do not analyze their actions. Now respectful and almost awed in her presence they invited her to hang out with them, inexplicably desperate to be associated with her._

_She was never interested, however. "I'm sorry," Kagome would politely reply when invited to an outing or a party, "I've already got plans this Sunday."_

_At school she remained with the same friends she had always known, oblivious to what was happening around her. When Hojo finally got to speak with Kagome, it was as if she no longer cared about what was going on. She could no longer be bothered or intrigued by everyday high school drama. Only when she interacted with Ayumi was there something vibrant in her eyes. She exchanged so many smiles and knowing glances with her, and the pair eventually separated themselves from everyone else more and more as the days passed. _

_Sooner or later more of the student body was curious about Kagome and Ayumi. What had started as respect for Kagome's change in personality quickly became confusion and jealousy. People misinterpreted Kagome and Ayumi's detachment from the rest of the other students as snobbery. Elitism. It didn't take long for people to begin teasing the two friends. Hojo tried his best to diffuse potentially bad situations, but was saddened that he was growing apart from Kagome for reasons he couldn't figure out._

_People were harder on Kagome than Ayumi. They left rotten eggs in Kagome's shoe locker, hid her desk in other classrooms before school, and defaced her gym clothes with permanent marker. Somehow, none of this seemed to outwardly affect her. Hojo never saw her react to or even acknowledge such petty things._

_On a late Sunday night close to eleven o' clock Hojo was alone, walking home from the subway station. He had spent the day in Roppongi, shopping and singing karaoke with his friends, including Ayumi for once. As he passed a familiar set of stairs, the entrance to the Higurashi shrine, Hojo stared longingly at the light coming from the top of the hill. Where was Kagome now? He wanted to ask her out on a date months ago, but somehow lost his chance before ever having one. He continued down the street, staring down at his shoes as he thought about her. Headlights flashed in his face and a black BMW Z7 sped past him, pulling over in front of the Higurashi shrine. Hojo would have kept walking had he not heard Kagome's voice._

"_Hide-chan, you shouldn't have to give me one. I'm pretty sure Mama has one stored away somewhere; she used to play."_

"_I bet Mama's old six-string isn't quite like this one. Besides, you've been having such a bad time at school lately... I wanted to cheer you up. Play it when you're blue and think of all the good times we have. Promise me? You've gotten so good."_

Should have figured that those jerks at school were really hurting her. Wait, what the-- _Hojo spun around slightly confused. Who was that older man with Kagome? The high school student moved against a nearby wall, not wanting to be seen just yet. A man in a black hooded sweater who was Kagome's height linked one arm in hers escorting her from the passenger seat of his car up the stairs. What looked like a guitar case was strapped to his back. Hojo stepped closer to the stairs. Behind him the BMW's lights flashed briefly and the car's locks clicked shut. The keyless entry only startled the boy for a second. He was unable to take his eyes off of his friend as she laughed with that man. How dare that creepy rich guy even _think _about touching her! What was it about his movements and mannerisms that looked so familiar, too?_

"_Of course I will. Wanna come and say hi to Mama?"_

"_Always." To Hojo's dismay he let go of Kagome's arm, only to slide it up to her shoulder as he put his arm around her. Hojo watched Kagome almost jump in surprise and then relax against the strange man. Something inside of him wanted to scream. Desperate, he leaped up the entrance to the shrine._

"_Higurashi, is that you?" He was relieved when the pair broke apart and turned around._

"_Hojo-kun?" Kagome exchanged a glance with Hideto, at a loss as to what to say. "Good evening."_

_When he caught up with the pair Hojo didn't know what to do. "I, uh... I'm glad I saw you. We all went out today, and I... uh... I wanted to give you..." Hojo's eyes moved to what sat in the top of his shopping bag. "This melon-pan." Flustered a bit, he tried not to shake as he shoved the bread towards Kagome with a quick bow. He then turned to Hideto, bowing to him as well. "Good evening."_

"_Yo."_

_Thoughts slowly materialized in Hojo's head. That voice and face were too familiar. A few seconds passed as all three were silent. Hojo pretended not to notice the distressed look on Kagome's face._

"_Would you... like to come in, Hojo-kun?"_

_"Sure!"_

_Awkwardly quiet, the three headed to the entryway of Kagome's house. _

"_I'm home!" Kagome and Hojo removed their shoes, and almost instantaneously she was answered._

"_Welcome home!" The matriarch of the Higurashi household stood smiling in front of the three, with Kagome's younger brother Souta in tow._

"_Good evening! It's been a while, hasn't it Hojo-kun? Takarai-san, thank you so much for driving Kagome home on time. I'm sorry she's always such a burden."_

"_Not at all--"_

"_Hide-niisan, why did you bring your guitar with you? Are you gonna sing something for us?"_

"_I could, but this guitar actually belongs to Kagome."_

"_Wow! I'm so jealous!_

_The conversation continued, but to Hojo the words blurred around him as he continued to examine this strange adult. Because Hojo was lost in thought, he no longer registered anything that was said to him, only bowing and smiling in automatic response. The man was heading out the door now, casually bowing goodbye to everyone before the door was closed behind him. Takarai... Hide was his name? Come to think of it, he looked an awful lot like..._

"_Hyde!" Hojo suddenly blurted out, causing everyone to stare at him. "That guy looked an awful lot like hyde! You know, that singer from Kagome's favorite band!"_

"_Hojo-niichan... who do you think was just here?" Pulling him inside Souta handed Hojo a pair of house slippers. All Hojo could do was gape as he was led to Kagome's room. Kagome closed the door behind her with a sheepish look, and watched Souta examine her new guitar._

_Hojo finally looked up at Kagome as she stood over him. He didn't remember being seated, but didn't complain. Soft plucking sounds tugged at his ear as he stared at Kagome. The boy couldn't stare for long, though. From behind Kagome a second pair of eyes bore into him from a poster on the wall. The man Hojo had just met glared down at him smugly from a glossy B-Pass poster on the wall. _Kagome doesn't have any interest in little boys like you, _laughed the two-dimensional face. _Not when she has me... I've always been her perfect man.

It was true, _he lamented. Kagome had forced Hojo to sit through so many L'Arc-en-Ciel concerts on tape with her but he endured it, positive that one day Kagome would realize how much he cared about her even though he was indifferent to her favorite band._

"_Hojo-kun! Are you awake?" Kagome's voice broke through his thoughts. "You've never been this quiet the entire time I've known you!"_

_Hojo finally straightened. Everything strange about Kagome's behavior made sense now. With wide eyes, he finally turned to Kagome and spoke. "It's... really him? How did you..."_

* * *

"Oh my GOD, I thought we'd never get out of there," laughed Kagome as she removed her shoes. 

"Another lost prop and I _swear_, I would have fucking--"

"--but we're done now. Can you unzip me? I'll be right back."

Silently Inuyasha complied, pulling down the back zipper of Kagome's dress as she produced a cell phone. "Hayashi-san? It's me, Higurashi. I know Hojo's got a few things to do so if you could please remind him that dinner is at six and make him promise to write it down this time..."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, glaring in no particular direction as Kagome disappeared into her bedroom. He suddenly wished that the headache pills in Kagome's medicine cabinet actually had noticeable effects on youkai. He could use about twenty at the moment. Even though he took the utmost care in making sure Kagome wasn't weighed down with too tight of a schedule she somehow managed to undermine his efforts, as usual.

"Inuyasha, are you staying here tonight?" Kagome's voice called faintly from her bedroom, Inuyasha assumed.

"Nah, I'm going home right when you leave."

Oh well. He hated to admit that a short break was welcome. Without having to schedule anything new in the near future, Inuyasha could finally lounge around at home for a bit. Tonight he looked forward to catching up on some reading.

Things were going good. Kagome's single was still number one, there was only one more magazine shoot left, and soon she would begin mixing the new album. The release date would be set in the near future, and if it charted well the demo CD would be sent out. Miroku had a couple of American record executives lined up and interested in Kagome already.

With a pair of strappy stiletto high heels in hand, Kagome appeared again in tight white jeans and a collared blouse that showed her midriff. Now seated on her couch Inuyasha bit his lip as he noticed that her hair, pinned loosely to her scalp, hung in twisted strands off of her head. He loved that hairstyle. Something about it was so refined yet fierce to him. Tips of thin black tendrils of hair brushed her neck _just so_, swinging tauntingly as she moved across the room. The hairstyle was what he both dreaded and desired to see in Kagome: a breach of restraint. Inuyasha imagined hair like that as the result of rolling around together under the covers, or on the floor. Maybe in his Porsche? No, on a beach... hmm, summer seemed so far away.

Light perfume mingling with her own scent lingered tauntingly in the air as Kagome rushed around, looking for accessories. Inuyasha tipped his head back, resting on the top edge of the couch cushions. He tried not to look too happy while taking in a breath. Everything in Kagome's home was, naturally, buried in her fragrance. Like seemingly everything that involved her Inuyasha both loved this, and hated himself for enjoying it.

_You can't have her, _he always decided.

_Why not? _He asked.

_She's special. You're replaceable._

The thought process always stopped there. With ears twitching the hanyou raised his head a little to watch Kagome fasten a bracelet on her wrist. Smiling, she spun around to face him.

"Inu-chan, what do you think?"

_I think I'll need a cold shower tonight._ "Don't call me that, you're being obnoxious. You look fine."

"Hm..." Kagome looked down at her outfit, adjusting her jeans.

_Fucking hell, she must have been _poured _into those. Oh God, they're just perfectly clinging to her--_

"Do the pants match okay?"

"Kagome. You're wearing all white." Was it possible to be jealous of a pair of pants?

"Yes, but you were kinda glaring at them..."

_Fuck the cold shower; is there a meat locker I can sleep in tonight?_ "I'm just gonna go home now."

With a sigh, Kagome grabbed her purse. "I guess I'll leave too."

* * *

_He knew he shouldn't be doing it, and he knew she would be furious if she caught him. Ever since meeting Hideto the previous Sunday he felt uneasy. If Hojo had been in a calmer state of mind he wouldn't have been waiting outside of Kagome's home the following Sunday, intent on following her. There were things that Hojo needed to know, and things that the boy wanted to say to the older man he was certain was taking advantage of Kagome in some way._

_Why didn't Kagome's mother see it? What kind of mother allowed her beautiful, high school-aged daughter to spend Sundays alone with an older man in his own home? She must have trusted Kagome a great deal. Takarai-san was a notorious lady-killer and known for making lots of sexual jokes at concerts. Heaven only knew how perverted he was in private._

"_I'm leaving now!"_

"_Take care! Remember, eleven o'clock, Kagome."_

_"I always come home on time, Mama."_

_Hojo scanned the shrine to make sure nobody was looking at him as he watched Kagome leave her house and head down the steps. He crouched low, suddenly saddened at how cute she looked in a short denim skirt and lacy black sleeveless blouse. As she reached the end of the steps Hojo stood, but nearly screamed as he felt a hand on his shoulder._

_He spun around, finding himself face to face with Kagome's mother._

"_Oba-san... Hello, I was just--"_

_"When she first met him, I was terrified because I thought Kagome would easily get hurt by him."_

_Hojo could only stare in response._

"_But the more I talk to him, the more I realize it might be mutual. And then I realized, if Kagome's cunning enough to make it to Osaka and back alone, she's better off than I thought."_

"_Then... you approve of..."_

"_I can't say I approve or disapprove of something I don't know about. But I'm not so blind as to ignore the fact that Kagome is better off learning from life firsthand." Grinning, the woman ruffled Hojo's hair. "You kids are graduating this year... you'll both turn twenty faster than you think."_

"_I don't mean to be so forward, but your daughter is spending her weekends alone with a grown man. Please excuse me..."_

_Before Hojo could hear a reply, he dashed down the steps of the shrine in hopes of catching Kagome._

_She didn't get too far. Sighing in relief Hojo caught his breath a little as he watched Kagome enter a train station. Reaching into his pockets frantically, the young man located a few coins. After watching Kagome buy a ticket he hesitated for a second as he purchased his own. He didn't know how much money to put into the machine, as he wasn't sure where Kagome was headed. In a split second he located the most expensive location on the station map overhead before pumping eight hundred yen, enough to exit any station, into the machine._

* * *

_Once the train got crowded it took a little work to watch Kagome from the subway car behind her, but as far as he knew Hojo still remained unseen. The ride was somewhat brief. Several stops later at Shibuya station Hojo made a dash for the doors as soon as he saw that Kagome was preparing to leave._

Okay, so it's no surprise that Takarai-san lives in one of those expensive high rise apartments. _In a crowded district it was painfully easy to go unnoticed when Hojo followed Kagome for a few blocks. He winced when Kagome stopped at a flower stand to pick up some white roses (did she always bring him flowers?) but kept following until she reached an imposingly tall building, simple in its rectangular shape. As he looked up to its peak, Hojo wondered if the building was actually glaring down at him. He felt so out of place once he saw Kagome laughing briefly with the doorman before disappearing inside. After waiting a few minutes Hojo followed once more._

"_Good afternoon. These are private residences, so I'll need to know the name of the person you wish to see."_

_Hojo raised an eyebrow. "Um, my... younger sister... is here visiting Takarai Hideto-san. Could you tell me where she is?"_

_The doorman replied mechanically with a bow and smile. "Please wait a minute."_

Crap, this doesn't seem good. _Subtlety often went over Hojo's head but he could at least tell when someone was suspicious of him. He had never been cunning enough to lie well. After a few agonizing minutes shrinking under glances from the doorman Hojo was greeted again._

"_I'm sorry, I have been told that Higurashi Kagome-san does not have an older brother. It can't be helped but I can't allow you to enter."_

"_I see... well, thank you."_

_Hojo wandered back outside, not sure what his next step was. After turning a corner to get out of the doorman's sight he crouched on the sidewalk at a loss as to what to do. A few minutes of contemplation passed until the young man sighed, getting comfortable. He had come this far, only to get shot down so easily. The best course of action he could come up with was to wait. At best, Kagome would come out soon. At worst, Hojo would remain seated outside until eleven at the latest. Oh well. Like everything else he would endure this for Kagome._

* * *

I should have brought a jacket. _Hojo's foot was asleep, and there were no signs of Kagome. As the time approached eleven o'clock Hojo stood, ready to catch a train home. Did he not hear Kagome assuring her mother that she'd be home by eleven? It was about eleven when he ran into Kagome and Hideto last week. Crossing the entrance of the building's parking garage he sighed, sad to have wasted the day. The instant such a thought came into fruition, though, a pair of headlights shone, and out from under the building shot a familiar black BMW. With a smile the boy caught a flash of Kagome's silhouette in the passenger's seat, and sat back down on the sidewalk. Finally, Hideto would come home alone._

_Maybe twenty minutes later the pair of headlights that Hojo was getting to know shone in the distance. He realized right away that Hideto would be driving too fast to see him and stop. Hideto's Z7 approached its destination and Hojo ran to the center of the parking garage's entrance, holding both arms straight out to the side._

_In the midst of Hojo's impulse he realized that he could die. His stomach twisted, or at least the boy thought it did as the headlights approached almost too quickly._

_Hideto almost didn't see him. In less than a second the brakes were mashed to the floor, and the car nearly spun out as the rock star made all efforts to avoid vehicular manslaughter. Rubber skidded across the pavement in a turbulent, terrible screech. The tiny sports car jolted to a stop, but not before Hojo could be tagged in the legs. He fell to the ground like a rag doll._

"_Holy shit!" Without hesitation Hideto jumped out of the car and kneeled at Hojo's side. An eyebrow raised when the older man recognized the boy on the ground. This wasn't good. One of the last things Hideto wanted to tell Kagome was that he killed her little friend._

_If anything Hojo would come away with a bruise across his shins. Somehow he managed to stand, with a mind still set on the conversation he wanted to have._

"_Hey kid... you okay?"_

_Shaking slightly, Hojo answered with only a nod._

"_Did we meet last week at Kagome's house?"_

"_Y-yes. I actually had something I wanted to speak to you about. It won't take long."_

"_That's fine, but are you sure you don't want me to drive you to a hospital first?"_

* * *

"_Would you like to come up for tea or something?"_

"_No, thank you. If you please I'd just like to ask what I came to ask and be on my way home."_

_Hideto's car was parked now and the pair walked up a short flight of concrete steps that led to an elevator. Hojo remained at the foot of the stairs, while Hideto stood at the elevator's entrance._

"_...okay, what is it?"_

"_What are your intentions with Higurashi?"_

_His calm expression didn't change, but he was definitely intrigued. How should he respond? Hideto didn't know what kind of person Hojo was or how he would react to things. Though Kagome sometimes talked about her friends at school she had never mentioned him._

"_I'm not sure what you mean."_

"_Are you two... in... _that _kind of a relationship?"_

I fucking wish, Kid. _It's true that Kagome was now completely comfortable around him, but he never made another advance since their first kiss. No matter how much he cared about her, no matter how attracted he was to her it was a very wrong thing to pursue. _

_Their age gap didn't bother him and he was pretty sure it didn't bother Kagome as well, but no matter how often they spent time together the two were in different worlds. If Kagome was going to take steps to go out into the world as a musician, the last thing she needed was to be associated with him. Who would recognize her talent if she was on his arm?_

"_What do you two do in your apartment all day? You... you've defiled her, haven't you? I bet her mother is only kind to you because you're rich and famous and there's nothing she can do! Or is it because you intend to marry Higurashi? If you... if you marry her, you'd better not divorce her or break her heart or I'll... I'll..."_

"_WHOA, slow down!" What the hell? Maybe it'd be more entertaining to let Hojo sit around all day while his assumptions got worse. "I haven't even answered you and you're already off on some tangent."_

"_What is Higurashi to you? Just tell me."_

_This was ridiculous. "And what exactly is she to _you_? Sorry, Kid. Unless Kagome is okay with you knowing about it, what we do alone is none of your business."_

_He wanted to smirk when Hojo's face reddened, and did all he could to keep a stony expression when the boy began to sputter. _What a presumptuous brat. _"Nothing personal. Be careful on your way home. No more jumping in front of cars."_

"_...thank you, I will." With heavy steps Hojo exited the parking garage._

_The breeze swirled around him as he trudged towards the train station. His stomach was swirling too, sickly tumbling as he thought about Kagome. She had never let any boys from school treat her with the same sense of familiarity as Hideto did. Hojo had known her since middle school, but Kagome had never called him by his first name! She'd never even called him Hojo-chan, or anything cute like that. He would have loved that._

_In a few short months she was wrapped around this jerk's finger! On one hand he couldn't blame her. How else would a girl react if her ideal man suddenly wanted to be friends or more? _If Kagome ever shows interest in me, _Hojo decided, _I'll make her only have eyes for me. I'll love her for the rest of my life.

_A pink sheet of paper blown by the wind collided with his foot. Furrowing an eyebrow he kicked it away and noticed the same paper hanging in a nightclub's window. A familiar pair of eyes stared at him from the bottom corner of the photocopied flier. Its words jumped out at him._

Three nights, three acts!

Husking Bee  
Gaitare  
Ka-go-me

Tickets: 600en  
Doors open: 9:00 p.m.

_As far as Hojo knew Kagome only played classical music. What was she doing with that guitar? What was she doing in those sexy black clothes? How long did it take her to put on all of that makeup? When did she start performing in public, anyway? Frantically Hojo searched the ground for the flyer he kicked away, and folded it neatly into his wallet._

* * *

Kagome was beginning to wonder what it was about Chez Mario that was so unlucky. It was nearly seven o'clock, and once more she was alone at her table. All calls to Hojo's phone went straight to voicemail. 

_Maybe Hayashi-san knows something I don't..._ Kagome produced her cell phone for what must have been the hundredth time, this time to call Hojo's manager.

"This is Hayashi."

"Hayashi-san, it's Higurashi. You told Hojo six o'clock, right?"

"Yes, of course! I watched him write the time down on those little post-its he sticks to his cell phone." There was a short pause, and what Kagome thought to be a quiet gasp. "He's... he's not there yet?"

"No. Oh no, do you think something happened to him, Hayashi-san? His cell phone seems to be turned off, hopefully he's not stranded somewhere?"

"I don't know. Look, the last thing on his schedule today was an interview with the president of his fan club for this month's newsletter. It's supposed to take place at his home, so maybe you could check to see if he's still there for some reason?"

"Thank you so much. I'm sorry to have bothered you, Hayashi-san. Take care."

With broad, swift steps Kagome stood to pay her bill and headed to her car.

* * *

_I'm never going to agree to this again. How stupid am I to allow this girl into my home?_ He was thankful that one of his talents was to mask his feelings, or so he thought. At the moment Hojo shifted uncomfortably in his seat, only recently noticing how the bubbly young girl who sat facing him was inching closer with every word. 

Her hair hung in a loose bun at the back of her skull, strands sticking out in random directions. It was kind of cute, he supposed, but the accompanying face scared him. Big, blank doe eyes clung to his gaze as tightly as this girl clung to each word he had said in the last couple of hours. How long was this interview going to be, anyway?

"That's so awesome, Hojo-san! I can't wait to see the commercials you'll be in this season."

"Yes, it was very enjoyable working with the director, and also a new experience working on such a high-budget commercial."

Did she scoot closer again? Damn it, Hojo was going to run out of couch to escape to... "So, Hojo-san," she pointed her tape recorder directly at him. "You mentioned that you would be shedding some clothes for one of them? Do you think Higurashi-san will get jealous of your female co-star in the upcoming spa commercial?"

"No, not at all. Kagome is very professional and understands that work is just work. It's really admirable."

"Ah, Higurashi-san is a very admirable person." Hojo heard a click. Did the tape recorder run out of tape? "Off the record, this outfit I'm wearing is modeled from one of her promotional videos... did you notice?"

He replied with a troubled laugh. Sure, he noticed. Perhaps he noticed because it was too deliberate-- Kagome loved her strapless shirts and miniskirts maybe because Sango was so skilled at altering clothes off the rack to flatter Kagome. The wrinkled skirt and shirt ensemble that this girl sported was a caricature of Sango's handiwork. Whoever made the outfit didn't understand why certain seams and darts existed in the original ensemble. The length and type of fabric were all wrong, too. In general the doppelganger outfit that victimized this unknowing girl fell poorly on her curves, if she even had any.

"You know, I get mistaken for Higurashi-san a lot..."

Hojo could feel his smile begin to crack. _Maybe by someone with a bad stigmatism..._

How did a hand reach his leg so quickly? He began to stand but was pushed back down onto the couch.

"Pardon me, Miss, but what are you doing?"

"Want to compare us on a more intimate level, Hojo-san?"

"I'm going to assume we're done with the interview, so if you could leave now..."

Maybe it could be attributed to Hojo's stupidity later, but the girl had found her way onto his lap. With arms already snaked around his shoulders she straddled him, giggling softly.

Hojo was pretty sure that if he reacted in the wrong way it would be easy for this girl to slap him with a law suit. However at the rate things were going a plan was not surfacing quickly enough to save him. _A natural disaster would be nice right about now,_ he lamented. Maybe Yuka would burst in with some suggestions for an outfit to wear on his date tonight. Maybe he was late for an appointment and Yuka would be calling his cell phone at the moment? Where _was_ his cell phone, come to think of it?

"Hojo-sama," whispered the nuisance on his lap. Before he could react any further Hojo felt a pair of lips pressing against his, unwilling to let him squirm away.

"Please, no... Stop..." He could hear his front door clicking! It was only a matter of time, now. For once he rejoiced in his absentmindedness, gleefully wondering what he forgot to do today. Four footsteps sounded in the entryway; the clicking of high-heeled shoes was unmistakable as they halted. "Yuka, is that you?"

The girl on his lap gasped, turning around to see who the sudden visitor was. Hojo's relieved smile stretched across his features as he looked to see who was there.

The smile that was made in such haste was quickly replaced with surprise, confusion, and finally, fear. Kagome was there with a stance so ominous, glaring so fiercely that he could have sworn somebody stabbed him in the chest in that split second. He suddenly realized how bad his situation looked. His fiancée's stare shot cleanly through the fangirl on his lap and dug so painfully into his heart that he could only manage a few words.

"Ka-Kagome. Is it... past eight o'clock?"

In hindsight Hojo would realize what a horrible choice of words that was. He would also remain in awe of how calm and composed Kagome appeared to be as she replied. Her time under the spotlight served her well, so much so in this moment that all living things would tremble before her feet as she spoke with such practiced serenity. The girl who was parked on Hojo's lap had long since slid to his side, sitting in shame with drooping shoulders as the better woman didn't even flinch.

"I told Yuka that dinner was at six. Check your notes." With cold, economical movements Kagome spun around and removed her engagement ring, letting it drop to the floor as she exited the building.

A few seconds passed in silence. The girl, whose every movement now exhumed shame, rushed out of the house, stopping every few feet to bow deeply to Hojo.

He felt as if he had been hit by a car. The shock of what just happened wore off enough for Hojo to wildly fumble for his phone, and curse out loud when he realized its battery had died. Locating the charger, he plugged in his phone and called Yuka.

"Hello? This is Hayashi."

"You SAID it was eight o'clock, didn't you! Eight? I fucking wrote down eight, for fuck's sake!"

"Holy crap, what's wrong with you? What happened?"

"It was eight o'clock, wasn't it? I wouldn't write down eight otherwise! Why was she here--?"

"What do you mean, 'why was she here,' slow down! Calm down! Let me check my notes." Hojo's labored breathing droned into her ear as she glanced at a paper on her desk.

"Dinner was at six."

"What? That's impossible; you must have said it wrong!"

"LOOK, I have no idea what just happened but I'm pretty sure it was big considering how abso-fucking-lutely NUTS you sound! Why don't you calm down a minute and then call me back?"

She didn't really give him a choice; she just hung up on him.

He figured that if his heart could beat any faster he would surely die. Though his hands were trembling he allowed the grip on his cell phone to loosen a bit, revealing a slip of paper that he had stuck to it only a few hours earlier.

Scrawled across it was a messy number 8.

He was sure it was an eight staring back at him.

He was sure of it...

He was sure.

He... at a second glance it could have easily been a six.

Now he didn't know what to make of things.

* * *

She allowed no coherent thoughts to cross her mind other than the task at hand: driving home. For her own safety she simply couldn't. 

However as hard as she tried to focus on the signals, road signs, and other drivers, something inside of her had wilted painfully. As if the essence of her spirit was being expelled from her body tears streamed steadily down her face. Somewhere in Kagome's mind a thought presented itself: she couldn't make it home like this.

The next best thing was to take the few turns to Inuyasha's nearby house. Whether or not he was there didn't really matter-- she had her own room there, a place to take refuge. Kagome wasn't all too sure she wanted him to be home, anyway.

Kagome didn't quite remember the act of parking the car but there she was, suddenly standing outside of the driver's side door, locking the thing. She didn't remember passing the gate in front of Inuyasha's house either, but there she was opening the door to his house. Had she been in her right mind, the young woman would have been grateful that Inuyasha's home was always unlocked if he was at home.

Had she been in her right mind perhaps she would have questioned why she walked out of Hojo's house so easily without waiting for an explanation, or maybe why that stupid smile was across his face as that whore climbed all over him... okay, perhaps thinking about that in any more detail wouldn't have helped.

How did she get her shoes off so easily? Oh, look. Inuyasha was yelling. It didn't matter, anyway. It wasn't as if Kagome could actually make out what he was saying...

"Kagome! Kagome, what the fuck is wrong with you? Let me get your slippers..." He'd never seen her so distraught before. Either Hojo had died, or...

...Inuyasha didn't want to think about "or." If the "or" existed the hanyou was almost certain that Hojo would be safer as a dead man. His search for Kagome's slippers came to a sudden halt when he noticed that Kagome was wandering upstairs. She shuffled drearily like a zombie, to her bedroom, Inuyasha figured.

In that moment her cell phone rang. Inuyasha recognized Hojo's ring tone. The perky tinkling of digital bells knocked a little bit of composure back into Kagome, as she reached into her purse.

Without missing a beat her hand raised high, gripping the phone. In a single smooth movement she thrust the noisy hunk of plastic down into the stairs, almost grinning as it bounced off of the ground. The phone continued to ring even through its assault. _Durable little nuisance, aren't you?_

She turned, now staring hatefully at her victim. Inuyasha watched in horror as she mashed her bare heel into the phone. The battery dislodged itself, flying down the stairs. It was clear the remainder of the phone would no longer function properly, if at all.

Painfully, Kagome removed her foot from the mess and continued up the stairs, now limping a little. Running quickly to intercept her, Inuyasha gripped her shoulders.

"Tell me what happened."

He was loathe to see the expression on her face. No words were spoken, but the young woman's eyes finally lifted to meet his. She met him with a dull gaze, red and wet from tears, and then returned to her listless shuffle.

Inuyasha's heart broke with that single stare. He was suddenly ashamed of lusting for her earlier that evening. Whatever happened to her in the short time they were apart now overshadowed previous lecherous thoughts. In his mind he was her protector, first and foremost.

He lifted her quietly and easily into his arms. As if it were the natural thing to do Kagome curled up against his body, burrowing her face into his shirt. Soon Inuyasha would nudge the door to her room open, and he did not release her even while he sat on the bed in the middle of the room.

A dim light shone in from the hallway as Inuyasha remained motionless, simply cradling Kagome in his lap. The single strip of light stretched across the carpet below as Kagome softly cried into Inuyasha's shirt in the dark. He fixated on that light, tightening his grip while his companion's body convulsed with each hiccup and sob.

Oh, he would kill Hojo for this. If this was somehow that idiot's fault... Well, enough was enough.

_That woman... was dressed like me, wasn't she?_ Kagome couldn't understand that part. Why would he want an imitation when he had the real thing? Had she somehow become boring to Hojo, now that she agreed to be his wife? It didn't matter now, she guessed. The gold and diamond hook that ensnared her was cast off, onto the floor of that despicable house.

When she thought about the ring, Kagome could only choke on her sobs as they spilled from her lips. Lately it was painful to see rings on the fingers of other women when she could not freely wear her own. Earlier, as she changed clothes for her date her smile was warm when she slipped the ring on.

Did that girl have an imitation ring on, as well?

She looked up to Inuyasha, who sat there so stoically.

How easy was it for Hojo to touch that other girl? How many other nameless women had he touched in the same ways he touched Kagome?

Kagome tugged on Inuyasha's shirt, urging him to return her stare. Though the confusion in his expression was obvious he complied, blinking down at her.

_How hard could it be?_

She wasn't sure how to go about it, at first. The hand that clutched her manager's shirt slid up to his neck, and then Kagome pulled him closer to her. Inuyasha's eyes practically bulged out of his head, and his shocked expression made Kagome want to giggle.

"Kagome, wha, what are you doing?"

To tell the truth, being so physically close to Inuyasha had always felt natural. She was never embarrassed or awkward around him. Was that what Hojo felt? Could she...

"Nothing," she finally answered. Her voice was barely a whisper.

Physical attraction didn't have to be paired with emotions, did it? Perhaps a man could make the separation easier than a woman could. Hojo still loved her, didn't he?

"Then... are you gonna let go of me, or what?" Kagome could feel his breath across her lips as he tentatively spoke.

She wanted to understand. That was her excuse, anyway.

_Really... how hard could it be?_

"Oh well," Kagome finally sighed aloud. "I can't deny that you're nice to look at."

"Wait, wha--" Inuyasha wouldn't finish his next question.

"It's maddening sometimes," she whispered huskily, before drawing him completely to her. Her hand gripped tightly onto his neck as she closed her eyes. She felt her lips come into contact with his, softly at first. Inuyasha's confusion was too clear as she nibbled on his lower lip, but as she parted her lips to take a breath she was met with shy reciprocation.

It really _was_ quite easy. _Too_ easy.

"_Really_ nice to look at," she repeated softly.

Inuyasha hoped this was a dream, but knew better. He moaned helplessly under his breath as Kagome continued her assault.

* * *

**Notes:**

Whoops, accident! This really throws a wrench in my plans but that's okay. Also while I planned on Hojo's confrontation with Hideto, I didn't really plan on him getting hit like that, but I was inspired (just bought a sexy new car). There's actually a little more flashback that I meant to add but with the way things played out in this chapter it doesn't fit so well anymore. You'll see it next time.

So a lot of things have happened in my life since the last time I left you guys on Christmas. Here's a quick few:  
- Car and street got flooded on New Year's Day  
- Had to get a new car and do the insurance claim song and dance  
- Moved to a new house (not related to the flood)  
- Moved old office to new house (we're still doing this)  
- Buried to the hilt in work

It's amazing how much an address change complicates getting essential paperwork. D:

I don't have time to update the cultural notes/extras web site right now (because there's some notes that go with this chapter and I think there's a drawing somewhere) and toyed with the idea of releasing this chapter with all of that, but I figure I should just get the story out. Eh-heh, let me know if there are people out there still reading this story, and I'll try to make more time to write if that's the case. Seriously busy right now. As always, thanks for reading!

**10 March:** Cultural notes and two new drawings (hah, I almost forgot I drew them!) are now added to the "extras" page, which is at this address (be sure to remove the spaces in order for it to work):  
Www. Pinku. net/fadeflare


	9. 8: Uncertain Terms

Fade and Flare

Chapter 8

Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shonen Sunday, and more companies I'm too lazy to look up. D:

* * *

**W A R N I N G !**

Remember when I mentioned that this is a story meant for mature readers only, due to mature content? Hah, neither do I.

Just thought I'd throw that out there...

* * *

"I can't deny that you're nice to look at." 

_Oh no_. "Wait, wha--"

"It's maddening sometimes."

_Danger, you idiot!_ All at once Inuyasha tried to scream in shock and terror, pull away, scold her, and find out what was going on. His reaction came out as a jumbled mess; all the hanyou could do was sit, unsure of what to do first while Kagome attacked him.

In the span of two soft pecks such thoughts were fading fast. As if lit by a small flame Inuyasha's common sense steadily burned away with each touch of Kagome's lips. He knew the right thing to do was to leave immediately... but oh _God_, why did she have to nibble like that? That kind of thing drove him crazy. Eventually his eyes slipped shut. He held Kagome's lips with his own, steadying her in a long but shy kiss.

She parted for a breath. "_Really_ nice to look at."

No, no, _no_, she was attracted to him? At first the confession didn't register, but now her message was clear. To Inuyasha this terrifying revelation satisfied years of speculation and fantasies. All he could do, all he _wanted_ to do, was sit there at let her do as she pleased. Besides, kissing her back gave him time to think of a tactful way to... to do... something. Wait, what was that again?

Kagome's next kiss was a lot more confident than the first few. Her hand slid up Inuyasha's neck, fingertips gently curling around his immaculate white hair while each touch of her lips slowly intensified. Though her victim moaned pathetically, he released her shoulders, answering her with a bold brush of tongue. Clutching Inuyasha's white dress shirt Kagome fell against the pillows on the bed, and not much time passed before the young woman slid completely off of Inuyasha's lap, onto the comforter. He slipped out of his shirt, discarding it next to Kagome's shoulder as they continued.

The hanyou was already leaning into her, but when Kagome's weight shifted off of his legs he easily moved above her. Without breaking the kiss, his thighs were burrowed into the mattress on either side of her lithe body. She ran her hands wildly over his bare shoulders.

"This is too easy," Kagome finally breathed, attacking Inuyasha further. She wanted to lose herself in this moment. Breathing frantically she forced her tongue into his mouth, and gripped the arm that was now wrapped tightly around her waist. His weight against her hips, pinning her small body to the bed only drove her mad. The moans that escaped from beneath Kagome's lips as they were joined with Inuyasha's intensified.

Breathless, the pair suddenly broke apart, panting as they gazed at each other. It was enough for Inuyasha to regain control, and he noticed that Kagome was now coming to her senses as well. Her pale gray eyes tugged at him, wondering what he would say next. Was he giving her the same look? All they could do was stare.

Slowly, Inuyasha slid off of Kagome, and sat on the bed gripping her hand. They stayed alone in the dark together for a few moments. Neither had anything to say, mutually afraid to speak.

Under the protection of her blank stare Kagome turned to her side and tried to sleep. Eventually Inuyasha stood, covered her with his shirt, and trudged down the hallway to his bedroom.

* * *

_Another day, another missing shoe from her shoe locker. Kagome couldn't buy replacements forever. With the most serene smile she could muster another new shoe was pulled from her school bag and slipped on. _

Please, just let them be here after school._ She prayed to nobody in particular as she put her street shoes in the locker, trying not to be obvious in looking for a culprit as she headed for class._

_Something was off today. Typically the walk to class wasn't too bad: most people simply went out of their way to ignore her. She decided that it hurt less not to exist than to be ridiculed. Today, however, everyone's eyes were on her as she trudged down the hallway; this walk was somehow much longer than she remembered. Was she walking to her death? _

_She had never been so happy to see the door to her classroom. Loud chattering could be heard in the hallway, and the young girl's steps quickened as she headed towards it. The sound was such a welcome change from the somber hallway. When her hand touched the door's handle, she released a sigh laced with relief._

_The feeling was fleeting. As soon as that familiar scraping of the classroom door over its track was heard all eyes fell on her, and all talking ceased. Immediately her eyes went to Ayumi, who beckoned to her. Kagome rushed over to the friend whose desk was next to hers. Sinking down into her seat she set her school bag down, quickly retrieving a pencil and paper._

Why is everyone looking at me like that? _Kagome scribbled, then sliding the paper over to her friend._

_Ayumi tried to smile for her friend as she flipped through a notebook. Taking out a folded sheet of pink paper she handed it to Kagome. As her friend unfolded it Ayumi watched recognition, surprise, and suddenly fear subsequently washing across her face. All emotions quickly disappeared when Kagome remembered she was being watched. Only Ayumi noticed that Kagome's gray eyes widened a little when they rose to meet the faces that wanted to see a bigger reaction. Once their peers grew bored of Kagome they returned to their own business._

_She hadn't yet seen the promotional flyer for her first live show, but this was not where she wanted to encounter it. Kagome wrote frantically on another piece of paper, handing it to Ayumi._

Where did you get this?

_Her friend could only frown. Kagome wanted so badly for the day to end._

* * *

_It had been a while since their usual lunchtime meeting place had been moved to the rooftop, and it had been a while since their group of friends was reduced to just Ayumi, Kagome, and Hojo. Kagome honestly couldn't blame her other friends for being unable to withstand the ridicule they inherited through mere association with her. Despite this it didn't mean the sting was any less painful the day four of her friends stood side by side, bowing deeply in apology as they said a final and direct goodbye._

"_Sorry, Kagome-chan. I can't handle this-- I need to study for college entrance exams and..."_

"_We'll always love you, Kagome-chan. But..."_

"_It's fine" was her reply. What else could she say? Kagome kept her tears down that day, disgusted at how cruel her fellow students were, to push her friends to this. She understood, but still couldn't help but feel hurt. Would she have done the same thing? _

_The walk along the school corridors to the rooftop reminded Kagome of this today. As she and Ayumi headed for their lunchtime sanctuary Kagome noticed that each school bulletin board was littered with her concert flyers. During class Kagome was called to the principal's office and given a stern speech on how she was too young to be associated with the nighttime club scene, and that she had better be taking college entrance exams while she was 'pursuing such disgraceful hobbies.' The following week would involve a meeting with her mother._

_In that moment Kagome realized how transparent an adult's "concern" for her could be. Her high school did not allow its students to have part-time jobs. She knew that if her musical persona were to become associated with the school it would only be a matter of time before the PTA rallied to get her expelled or transferred, her graduation be damned. Kagome bet that Kaori would have warned her about this too, had she realized what Kagome's intentions really were._

_When the pair of girls reached the roof they spotted Hojo sitting on a bench they usually shared. To finally see someone smiling at her today was comforting._

"_Hi!"_

"_Hey, Hojo-kun," answered Ayumi, setting her bento box down._

_Kagome took a seat. "Hey."_

_They ate in silence for a while, thankful that the weather was nice. Ayumi finished her food first, leaning back to enjoy the breeze as she popped the top of a Pocari Sweat._

"_How has your day been so far, Higurashi?"_

_She didn't want to answer._

_With a nervous laugh Ayumi produced the concert flyer. "New form of bullying today."_

_Hojo blinked, taking the piece of paper from his friend. "What?" Upon recognition he blinked even more, obviously confused. "What are you talking about?"_

_"It's my first concert!" Kagome finally blurted out, groaning into her hands._

"_Oh. Cool! Well, I think it's great! Everyone's noticed that you've been acting strange for the last few months, which is why people have been kinda... shunning you. Now everyone will know it's because you've been busy! Isn't that great? How long have you been playing guitar--"_

"_What's 'great' about it? This isn't an age-restricted club, so what if people show up and start trouble, Hojo-kun? How will I explain myself to the owners or get another show somewhere if I have a horrible reputation?"_

"_I don't think that'll be the case, Higurashi. I know how great you are at piano and singing. I believe in you! And if people come to see you they're gonna see how great you are! That's why I put so many fliers up."_

_Ayumi gasped, scooting away from Hojo. Kagome choked._

"_You... you did this?"_

"_Of course. I saw your flyer in Shibuya when I went to talk to Takarai-san."_

"_Wait, what? When did you talk to Hide-chan--"  
_

_Ayumi squealed involuntarily, forgetting the situation for a moment. "You call him 'Hide-chan' now? So cute!"_

"_Argh, Hojo-kun! What right did you have to do that without asking me? You may have ruined my life, do you know that?"_

"_I think you're wrong, Higurashi! I really do!"_

"_You have no idea about anything, do you?" Kagome stood now, screaming straight into Hojo's face as Ayumi held her arm in a futile attempt to diffuse the situation. "I don't know what's going on with everyone here and why they suddenly hate me so much. As far as I was concerned it didn't matter. We'd graduate, and I wouldn't have to deal with them, especially if I stayed away from college!"_

"_See?"_

_Kagome was in tears now. "Shut up! The only thing I've been looking forward to is performing! If you ruin that for me I'll never forgive you!" Gasping for a breath, the girl finally stopped. She wanted to leave, but couldn't be seen crying at school for fear of encouraging her bullies._

_Frantically wiping her eyes, Kagome tried hard to regain her composure. Leaving her food she ran for the exit. "I'm leaving for the day. See you later, Ayumi-chan."_

"_Hojo, you idiot!" Ayumi slapped him on the back of the head and then turned to catch up with her friend who had already disappeared._

* * *

"_Kagome! What the hell do you think you're doing?"_

_Today was the day Hideto was with his band mates, broadcasting their weekly radio show, _Flying L'Arc Attack_. After the show wrapped up Hideto had accepted a catered lunch from the radio station, just as always. He couldn't bring himself to refuse good food. To do such a thing was criminal!_

_When he deposited his boots in the entryway of his apartment he raised an eyebrow when he spotted Kagome's familiar pair of slip-on shoes that went with her uniform. A smile stretched across his face. He was really hoping for some company tonight._

_Immediately after that he sensed something wrong. Hideto could smell alcohol, and as soon as he rounded the corner to his living room he frowned angrily. Four empty Sapporo cans were littered across his coffee table, and on the floor sat Kagome. She gripped one more can, drinking quickly. The look on her face was hazy and distraught as she gulped. With a gasp Hideto dove for her, pulling the can from her grasp._

"_Wellchum... hhome! Thirssty?" To Hideto's disdain Kagome's speech was disgustingly slurred. She slumped against him as he kneeled on the floor. In no time the high school student collapsed onto his lap._

"_This is NOT okay. I don't know what happened but this is NEVER okay. I gave you the key to my place because I trusted you not to do something like this while I go out." He cradled her head, doing his best to keep eye contact with her as she spoke._

_One glance at his watch made him sigh with a sudden picture of what could have happened. It was much too early for Kagome to be out of school. She must have had problems again, but this couldn't be anything typical. Most of the time when Kagome talked about all of the ways her fellow students tried to torment her, she was always determined as hell to keep calm. There were a couple of times she couldn't do it, though, and in those moments Hideto was glad he could make everything better through the simple act of letting her cry into his shirt at night._

_Kagome didn't drink. She had never shown interest. She had also never shown any self-destructive tendencies like this before. A small part of Hideto wanted to die when he realized that this was one of the young girl's first steps into an adult world. Did his involvement in her life cause or expedite such a thing? His teeth ground into his lip a little at the thought, and his arms tightened around the small body in his lap._

"_I'm... I'm shorry, Hide-cshan... please don't be mad at me!"_

"_Kagome... why would you hurt yourself like this?" He didn't really expect her to answer. Sighing, Hideto retrieved his cell phone, activating speed dial. A few moments passed before someone picked up. "Hello? Is this Higurashi-san? It's Takarai... The school called you? Yes, she's over here now. I'll be sure to have her home at the usual time... No! No, she's never a burden... We'll get dinner. I'll see you later tonight."_

_Kagome hiccupped. With a heavier sigh Hideto put a placating hand on her head, stroking her hair._

* * *

_With Hideto standing at her side she sat trembling in her black leather stage outfit, clutching the guitar he gave her (a glittery pink Fernandes LD-135KK) to her chest, nervously rocking back and forth. Kagome wasn't sure how she managed to get her makeup on with such a clumsy pair of trembling hands, and she could have sworn there were no qualms about being in such a scant outfit. There was certainly no shyness when Hideto hired a photographer to take headshots of her in the clothes. However backstage in this tiny club the strapless leather tube top only made her want to cover her midriff. She wished her leather pants didn't reveal all of her curves so easily. The heaviest thing she wore seemed to be her makeup._

_Husking Bee, one of the other bands on the bill were still on stage, but their set was coming to an end. Cheers and screams from the crowd in the club almost overtook the music, which meant people would be in high spirits once Kagome came out._

_...Unless the crowd was comprised of her classmates. She had been too terrified to check all night. She'd find out soon enough, anyway. _

_Words that she had been dreading to hear finally came. "Thank you! Good night!" Thankfully there was a little bit of buffer after the performance. No act tonight would have roadies to dismantle their equipment-- nobody was that big. Husking Bee was busy pulling cords from amps, and chatter of the club patrons resumed while a CD played through the sound system._

_Kagome spun, turning to Hideto. From beneath his black hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses he grinned, rubbing her shoulders in reassurance. He bent to speak into one ear._

"_You're probably one of the best guitarists in the house tonight."_

"_Ah." It was obvious she wasn't worried about her musicianship._

"_And you're hands down the nicest act to look at."_

_Kagome mustered a giggle for him, but it sounded nearly hysterical when she listened to herself._

"_All right, you're on, Baby!" Isobe, one of the vocalists of Husking Bee pat Kagome on the head as he walked offstage. During the sound check the band had designated Kagome as 'Baby' because she was so young. The nickname helped to soothe her nerves a bit._

"_Isobe-senpai... you guys were awesome!" _

_The bassist who had sworn he wanted to adopt her shot over a thumbs-up. Tetsuya was his name, which was easy for Kagome to remember since the Tetsuya she knew was also a bassist. _I wonder if he has a girlfriend named Kaori too,_ she had laughed to herself._

_Hideto's hand startled her as it pat her bare lower back. She stood, watching her band mates, a bassist named Osuke and a drummer named Akio pass her with smiles and high-fives before heading onstage to set things up. Osuke pulled Kagome's guitar from her hands, saying he would take care of it for her._

_Inching towards the stage Kagome snuck a peek at the crowd. She could find no air to breathe as she examined the people in the club. Too many familiar faces stared up at Osuke and Akio: most of fourth year class B, her class, lined the edges of the stage. Hojo and Ayumi were among the crowd, looking pensively around. A few people she recognized from fourth year classes C and A were scattered throughout the floor as well. By staying in their school uniforms they marked themselves clearly. Near the bar Kagome spotted two girls from her former group of friends, wearing the same expressions as Hojo and Ayumi._

At least it seems like they came to support me,_ Kagome mused to herself. The presence of her friends gave her an unexpected boost of confidence; it was now time for her to go out and do a microphone check. _

_Literally milliseconds before she would turn back to Hideto and receive a final wink of reassurance, she froze. Out of the corner of her eye Kagome noticed sudden dots of white appearing throughout the crowd. When she turned back around to examine them her knees fused together. People were holding... school shoes? Oh God, what did that mean? Kagome was reminded of all the pairs of shoes she had lost to bullying. Before realizing that she was sinking to the floor Hideto was beneath her, propping her up. Akio had watched Kagome as she looked at the crowd, and also ran to hold her up._

"_Hide-chan... what if they throw them? Is there security here? I don't want Akio-san and Osuke-san to get hurt..."_

"_Those people in uniforms are your classmates?"_

_She nodded._

"_Fuck," Hideto muttered under his breath as he exchanged a glance with Akio. _

_On stage, Osuke stared at the trio, doing Kagome's microphone check for her. With a smile, the bassist ran a hand through the short brown curls on his head as he gestured towards Akio to come out on stage with him. Nodding, Akio pat Kagome on the shoulder, and with a final adjustment to his blonde spiky hair, he located a pair of drumsticks and headed toward the stage._

* * *

"Inuyasha? Um... are you awake?" 

_Shit, what time is it?_ Inuyasha's eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the dark and spotted a silhouette standing pensively in his doorway. He didn't have to look--her scent had roused him from down the hall.

"Kagome. Wh-what's up?"

"About earlier... I... uh..."

"Keh. Don't worry about it. It was just some weird moment, I get it."

"No, you really should know. You're my manager, after all."

Rolling his eyes, he sighed. "Can't this wait until morning or something, Kagome? I really don't have the mental capacity for it right now."

"Well, good."

"Wha?"

"I think I prefer a more instinctual reaction."

What could she possibly expect him to say to that? "See you in the morning. Now, if you don't mind... hey!"

She stood at his bedside now, smiling softly. A white nightie, one Inuyasha did not recognize, hung loosely over her body, barely reaching the top edges of her panties. In the right lighting he was pretty sure it did not cover the rest of her very effectively, either. He could see the silhouette of her torso through its sheer fabric.

One soft hand clasped her manager's, and then another followed.

"I'm saying..."

Nearly no time passed and she released his hands. Now she straddled his chest.

_Oh God..._

When he raised his head to scold her he found himself face to face with the junction of Kagome's legs. A small amount of pink fabric, panties in name only, barely covered her. "Barely" was actually too generous of a term. Even in the dark Inuyasha could see the heavy contrast between pale lace and the dark patch of hair underneath. There was officially no secret as to what her natural hair color was.

"Come on, do I really need to spell it out for you, Inuyasha?"

"It's... n-not bad to b-be clear about things." The words tumbled clumsily from his lips. Something carnal was busy surging through him, spreading quickly to the lower parts of his body. Her scent at this proximity, heady and so obviously aroused, tore at his baser instincts. She must have known this! Pheromones be damned, her intent oozed deliciously from every pore of her body. _Of course_ she didn't need to spell things out.

Kagome giggled in response. The soft laugh was mischievous. Foreboding. Inuyasha had never heard her like this before. He'd heard such a laugh from other women he had been with, but that kind of girl was usually transparent about her motives from the start. Great. Deep down his sweet Kagome was a vixen and he should have known as much. It's always the "good" girls who--

With no warning Kagome had swept one hand behind her, running unapologetically over her manager's hips and lower belly until she reached what she was looking for. Her fingers grabbed him, verifying what she had found.

"Ah..." Inuyasha exhaled the word as if it had been forced out of him.

Kagome liked the reaction. With a smirk she ran a finger over him, through his clothes.

"It seems like things are already clear from what I can see. Look at what you're doing already."

"What _I'm _doing? You're the one who can't keep her fucking hands to herself!"

"Mmm, I could put them to use on myself if you like..." She brought her hands forward and crossed them, gripping the edge of her nightie and pulling the thin fabric over her head. Her fingertips crossed, sliding up along her torso until they wove together below her bare breasts. "But I prefer to take a more active role in holding your attention."

One hand dove into the waistband of his boxer shorts this time. Slender fingers curled lightly around his swelling flesh, eliciting rough breaths from her companion. He watched her, mesmerized her graceful rocking and smooth movements as she touched him. At first, he could not utter a reply. "Stop," he barely managed, whining feebly in each exhale.

"Do you really want me to stop?"

The hanyou threw his head back against his pillow. "...I don't know."

"I see." With a smaller smile, Kagome continued her ministrations, watching Inuyasha writhe beneath her. "It's a shame," she sighed.

"Wh-what is?" he ground out.

"You can't even loosen up in your dreams. We could be fucking by now."

He sat up with a scream, kicking and throwing his blankets to the side. The deep red décor of his room was bathed in daylight and nobody, nor any scent other than his own, lingered in the room. Downstairs he could hear the quiet murmur of the television. Damn, he must have left it on. Unless...

How much happened last night? Was any of it real? Too bad his erection didn't care. Annoyed, the hanyou grabbed around his bedside for the shirt he was wearing last night. It was nowhere to be found. Once his lower half calmed down he exited his room, clawed bare feet lightly brushing across the cool floor as he walked.

Inuyasha reached Kagome's guest room. The door had been opened. Trying not to be too obvious he glanced inside as he passed it. What the hell? The bed was made. He backed up and peered inside. Her scent lingered in the air, but he could not tell how recent it really was. As Inuyasha turned back to the hallway his eyes caught a pair of white pants folded neatly on a chair. They were easily the pants Kagome wore last night.

After brushing his teeth and shaving Inuyasha stood at the top of the stairs, peeking down to the couch in his living room. He could see the TV turned on, and nothing but a leg draped over the top edge of the couch. Gulping, he head down towards it until he stood over her foot. Kagome lay there in his shirt, thumbing through a novel. Her hair spilled dramatically beneath her, curving over the couch cushions. His white shirt covered her amply-- it was much too large for her and fit like a short dress, but was only held closed by three or four buttons. The sight was out of a movie or magazine. Once she realized somebody was near, she peeked out from behind the book, smiling shyly as she nudged him with her toe in a greeting.

"Morning," he managed. Great, she was acting as if nothing important had happened last night. This threw him off quite a bit. It wasn't something to shrug off. Inuyasha still didn't know what had happened with Hojo but wondered what Kagome planned to do. She was always responsive and responsible in weighty situations.

_She must have been hurt pretty badly,_ the hanyou rationalized. "Did you... have anything to eat?" he ventured. He wasn't sure if he should bring up what happened or even how to do it. "I've got a few things in the fridge if you want."

Kagome rose to a sitting position, neatly folding her legs underneath her as she put the book down. Patting the spot next to her she stared back up at Inuyasha. "I'm okay for now."

He followed her silent request, exhaling quietly as he made his way to the couch. Inuyasha could feel his companion's eyes on him; he decided that it would definitely help to regain control of his thoughts and look calm.

Fine, he would calm down. What emotion should he project to show that he wasn't feeling strange at all? Time was passing by too quickly, and if a few more seconds of indecision passed Kagome would probably ask what was wrong.

He decided to look annoyed. It was a familiar emotion that he perhaps enjoyed too much. The lack of explanation was grating on his nerves, anyway. Quickly, Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and he slumped as if his life depended on it.

_Women are too much of a hassle,_ Inuyasha decided. Yes, this emotion was perfect. Human women were confusing, complicated, and acted on their feelings so readily (and without consequence!) that he wanted to hit his head on things. Maybe last night was a dream come true, but its price was already apparent: it could easily contort into a nightmare at this rate. With this ridiculous lack of acknowledgement for last night they were halfway there! Inuyasha glared into his lap, fixating on the loose strands of cotton white hair that hung over his chest.

Hair... That was normal. He would brush her hair. It looked fine but she wouldn't argue, would she? "Be right back." Inuyasha stood and left the room to retrieve Kagome's hairbrush before she could reply. As quickly as he left, the hanyou returned and grabbed Kagome's shoulders, urging her to turn away from him.

"Your hair's all fucked up."

She wasn't sure why his usual annoyed demeanor was so irritating to her today. Why did he feel so inclined to make her feel like she was a nuisance? Why did he act so mad about such things but was so willing to do them? Kagome understood that this was just his way, but somewhere she had hoped that last night would have... Nevermind, she didn't even know what she wanted it to achieve. It wasn't like she had planned for any of it to happen. All the young woman _did_ know was that a feeling of impatience and anxiety was building up inside of her. Why?

_You jerk. I'll fix you..._

"Ah," was her reply, before she retaliated. Trying to hold a smirk back, Kagome stretched as she shifted to move. Straightening her torso, the shirt she was wearing fell slightly behind her as she turned away from Inuyasha. In a split second Kagome watched Inuyasha's eyes gravitate towards the opening in the shirt where her legs poked out... good. She now sat with her back to him.

_Fuck!_ She was always like this, not at all mindful of how dressed or undressed she was. Every time he thought he was used to it he was taken by surprise.

Especially now. Kagome's panties were not the usual pale pink. He wouldn't have noticed if not for the split-second flash of sexy, lacy, fiery, red that mocked him as it fled from his view. Now facing Kagome's back with scared, wide eyes Inuyasha almost forgot about the task at hand. With a tight grip on the hairbrush he managed to calm himself, finally passing it through Kagome's soft black tresses.

Whatever lies were told through the pair's demeanor were shattered by this simple act. As the moments passed Inuyasha's fingers remained steady and gentle as he touched her, and soon Kagome's posture relaxed. She slowly calmed down, closing her eyes as he softly scratched her scalp with his claws.

When he was finished he gathered her hair in his hands, and placed it over her shoulder. For a second Kagome turned to smile at her manager. He returned it with his own grin, but beyond the pleasantries Inuyasha and Kagome could not manage more eye contact than that. Not knowing what to do, Inuyasha placed his hands on Kagome's shoulders, lightly massaging her. She sighed, finally content.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Yes, thanks. I really like that bed."

"Good."

Eventually his hands moved down her back, and Kagome sighed again. When Inuyasha reached her waist, his hands slowed to a stop, suddenly unsure of what to do. He rested his hands on her, hesitating for a moment before they slid forward around her waist. Without a word his clawed fingertips met as they rest on her stomach.

He didn't have to press hard. Kagome felt as if the air was being forced from her chest as she leaned back, into him. The back of her shoulders met his chest; wordlessly she lay her head against his body. Her heart pounded at a crazed pace when she felt Inuyasha exhale against her neck.

Damn it, what the hell was he doing? Inuyasha still didn't know her situation with Hojo but couldn't stop himself. He felt compelled to bury his face in the hair he had just combed. It took little effort after that to move further down into the curve of her neck. Remnants of her perfume from last night lingered; when the scent was this subtle it was very attractive to youkai, and Inuyasha was no exception. His lips were compelled to brush against her skin, and as if they had a mind of their own he moved slowly to kiss her neck. She was already writhing beneath his fingertips, shivering in anticipation.

The intercom buzzed. Inuyasha glared, resolute in staying on the couch. Just as he resumed what he was doing a persistent knock on the door shattered the moment.

"Inuyasha-san! Are you home?" The voice behind the door was muffled but it was clear who was there.

Kagome gasped, breaking herself out of Inuyasha's grasp. She stood, slowly backing away from the couch as if trying to flee. Perhaps she would have run away if not for Inuyasha's steadying hand on her arm.

"Get dressed," he nearly growled. Kagome nodded once before running upstairs. In a louder voice he spoke: "Come in. It's open."

The door opened and in walked Hojo, looking tired and flustered. "I'm so relieved to finally_find _someone!"

Inuyasha was quick to regain his senses. He still didn't know what happened between them. Despite his anger he was thankful for the interruption. For a moment Inuyasha had forgotten his place in the world. Thankfully before anything damaging could happen Hojo appeared in his entryway, removing his shoes with harried movements, and Inuyasha remembered how things were supposed to be...

"Inuyasha, have you seen Kagome? I'm worried about her! Please... please don't react until you've heard what I've had to say! Last night there was a horrible misunderstanding and I worry that she may have done something hasty."

...and it was enough to make him sick.

* * *

**Notes: **

I don't need to elaborate too much, do I? XD; I've been busy. This time it's work, house guests, and anime cons. In fact, I've got a bunch of trips coming up, again.

In case you may have forgotten, Hideto is based on a real Japanese rock star named, "HYDE". Early this year HYDE released a new solo album and has been touring in Japan since February. In July he's actually coming to California to play four tour dates. :D I'm excited... I have tickets to all four shows! XD Anyway...

Those of you who have been reviewing lately... I want to thank you! I'm really surprised at some of the insightful things you guys have said about this story. It keeps me on my toes and makes me ask, "oh hey, why DID I want to add that?" Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Even though I've written extensive notes on what's going to happen (and why) the way things end up still surprise me as I write them. Originally, I didn't plan Kagome or Inuyasha to slip so soon but I did it because it seemed like the natural thing to do. You guys are awesome. Thank you.

Cultural notes for this chapter are up at the Fade and Flare website. Address is: www. pinku. net/fadeflare (Be sure to remoce the spaces, of course. ) If I can figure out where I saved the files more art will be up in the next few days. Take care!


	10. 9: Weight of the World

Fade and Flare

Chapter 9

Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shonen Sunday, and more companies I'm too lazy to look up. D:

* * *

**This is the finished version of chapter 9.** Hah hah, I thought it was going to take longer, actually. XD

* * *

After the initial shock of the situation the easiest thing to do last night was fall asleep. 

In the morning the first thing that caught her eye was a novel she'd been meaning to start for some time now.

And Inuyasha? Well...

_What on earth came over me?_ As she dressed in haste Kagome began to hate the fact that she was finally faced with the weight of what happened. For the first time since last night she had to confront it, remembering what triggered all of this.

If Hojo had only come to Inuyasha's house a little bit later... If Inuyasha had only come downstairs a little earlier... she was _sure_ things would have gotten heavier on the couch. Kagome could feel her cheeks redden at the thought of her manager's hands roaming over her hot skin, but suddenly scolded herself for even imagining it.

How could she think of something like that right now? Had years at Hojo's side suddenly become worthless? Besides, how could she be angry at her fiancee for doing something she was able to do so easily? Was she as fickle as he was? Answering bad behavior with more bad behavior may have been gratifying, but it was never right.

Was Hojo still her fiancee even after all of this?

"Kagome! Come down, someone's here to see you."

"Just a minute!" Clutching her fists, she resolved to iron out this situation.

* * *

"I _swear_ to you," Hojo shrieked from the floor as he kowtowed at Kagome's feet, "I swear on my life that I'd never betray you!" His eyes were red and puffy from tears as he begged her with seemingly every fiber of his body. "Please just come with me to talk, Kagome!" 

_Holy shit, this is the most pathetic thing I've ever seen. _

What kind of man would do something so undignified? Oh yes... a damned _human_ man could. Trying his best not to scoff or growl Inuyasha kept his arms folded as he stared out a window.

Before she came out of her guest room Kagome was afraid to face him, unsure of how she would react to him. Part of her was afraid that she hated him... maybe part of her was also afraid that she would forgive and forget too easily. It didn't take long, though, for the young woman's fears to be overshadowed by annoyance. When Kagome came downstairs Hojo had asked Inuyasha to leave, but before the hanyou could comply the angry pop star stamped her foot on the ground. "We're in _his_ home! Thanks to your intrusion this has now become his business. He stays!"

Kagome's outburst made Hojo panic instantly, leading to lots of yelling and finally a point where Inuyasha had to physically stop Kagome from hitting Hojo as he begged on all fours for her to listen.

Eventually, Kagome had to relent. She was already trapped in this situation. Turning to Inuyasha she sighed, handing her car keys to him. "Hojo... Please wait for me in your car. I need to speak to Inuyasha about handling some things."

"Kagome... thank you so much! I promise I'll--"

"At this point, how much do you think I _value _promises from you? You've long since run out of chances to use that word on me."

Hojo looked pensive. That was the one thing she _wasn't_ misled about. The last year had felt like nothing but broken promises. For the first time Hojo realized that deep down, Kagome hadn't completely forgiven him for things he thought were old news.

"Just... please wait in the car. I'll be there if you give me a few minutes to wrap up some work-related things."

After the front door closed behind them Kagome smiled up at her manager. "Could you have Shippo or somebody else take my car home for me? If it's not too much trouble."

"Keh. Of course I'll handle it."

Together they stood in Inuyasha's living room, silent for a while. Behind them the television murmured quietly, bringing back a sense of calm to the room. The hanyou had no idea what to say to her, and only had a vague picture of what happened last night. Maybe he would get the details later, but did it even matter any more? As usual, Kagome would make things right with Hojo and forgive him as she always did.

Inuyasha tried his best not to show any emotion while he stared down at her, but as usual his thoughts betrayed the notion. Vibrant, diffused sunlight from the windows brightened her features better than any studio spotlight ever did; her skin glowed as if lit by a halo. His mind was reeling before the picture in front of him. As his eyes caught a glimpse of her supple pink lips he thought about last night. When Kagome felt passionate about something she rode on those feelings until they burned out. It was a trait that made her lyrics strike people so deeply, but also made her impulses ridiculous... like her sudden trek to WacDonalds in Osaka.

Like last night, too.

Unconsciously the hanyou's tongue ran over his lips. In hindsight he should have just sat back and enjoyed it more. Too much of it was overshadowed by confusion and surprise.

Kagome stared up at him, pursing her lips. She could read nothing from her manager's even expression as she searched his face for any kind of reaction beyond the usual annoyed glare or cocky smirk and realized that maybe she shouldn't have expected anything else. Inuyasha had shown an incredible amount of self-control last night, much more than she expected to see from him. He was a hanyou after all, wasn't he? More than that, his reactions made it pretty clear what he wanted to do. Why didn't he take her when he had the chance? Last night, the young woman was quite open to such a possibility. She'd be lying if she denied being a little curious as to how it was like-- Inuyasha's bedroom prowess was legendary gossip. That curiosity had not waned by the following morning until reality came banging on the door.

Perhaps Kagome had already realized why she was always so comfortable around Inuyasha: despite years of subtle flirting he had never made advances on her. He remained professional no matter how much she flustered him, but allowed her to have a little harmless fun. Other men that she had grown close to in her short life were ones who wanted to date her first and foremost. She even realized this in Hojo the moment they met.

Inuyasha was not this way. In their first encounter the only strong impression she could draw from him was that after ten wrong words he'd rip out her throat. This man... this _youkai..._ would have no qualms about it. A teenaged Kagome was determined to work for his respect, especially because she was terrified of him. She had done it, too. As a struggling singer she had not only gained his respect with her diligent work but also earned his trust and friendship.

_You're my dearest friend,_ was what she wanted to say to him right now. _You're family to me and I owe you so much because you take such good care of me._ As these words crossed her mind Kagome felt guilt for treating him like just another one of her possessions.

_I'm so sorry. You've never hurt me..._

"So, uh, I don't think I'll need that car at any particular time tonight... it'd just be good to take care of it in case I'd like to use it."

"Don't worry. I'll get it done." Reaching on top of a nearby table he took her hand, placing an object-- no, objects-- in them. Kagome blinked, a little shocked to see the mascots and charms from her decimated cell phone.

"I gotta get you a new phone today too. What color and brand d'ya want?"

Even through everything that happened last night, he still remembered details like this! Kagome couldn't help but gasp. She wrapped her arms around him, but was not met with reciprocation this time. It didn't matter. "Oh my God, I forgot about that. Inuyasha... you're the best, do you know that?"

"Keh. How the hell am I gonna get a hold of you without a cell phone? I can't always come hunt you down, you know."

Nearly forgetting about her problems for a moment the woman giggled. "What, is it too much work to track down my scent the old-fashioned way, Inu-chan?"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't be an idiot. If you can't decide I'll just get the same phone as last time."

"No! Actually... could you get it in black?"

"...Black?"

"Yes. The new black model has a special edition ringer that I like."

Inuyasha had to laugh a little at that. "Got it."

Keeping her arms around his waist the singer gazed up at her manager. "Ai rabu yuu," she giggled. It was an "I love you in heavily accented English.

He knew she was just playing around but couldn't keep from blushing anyway. "Oh! Sankyuu." he managed with a smile. He rubbed her head.

Before she could think about it Kagome raised high on her toes, pressing a kiss to Inuyasha's cheek. "You're supposed to say you love me back!" she laughed. "I'll call you later tonight."

"Fine." Had Inuyasha not been thrown off by the sudden affection, he would have caught the pangs of disappointment in her voice as she left.

* * *

"She was one of those crazed fangirls, Kagome. You walked in at the worst possible moment--" 

"Well, that's not completely true-- I could have walked in the second she 'accidentally' got your pants down."

"I had _no_ desire to even touch her! You're being unfair about all of this."

With a balled fist Kagome pounded on the car door, causing Hojo to jump. "_Unfair_? What's unfair is that all I'm even doing anymore is fighting for time with Lord and Emperor Hojo-sama. I bend over backwards to spend five minutes with you and my staff kills themselves making things work out, but whenever _Hayashi-san_ doesn't feel like the wind's blowing in the right direction you go running back to her like a puppy!"

"Are you sure you're not talking about yourself? I find it hilarious that you used the word, 'puppy', and even more hilarious because you have a bedroom in your puppy's house. A lapdog usually shacks up with its master, not the other way around."

"That's twice that you've dragged Inuyasha into this. What's your problem with him?"

"You're the one who dragged him into things by going to his house last night! Do you even _realize_ the way he looks at you? If I were as distrustful as you I'd think you were fucking him!"

Kagome grew quiet at that. The shock of what she had almost done with Inuyasha truly surfaced for the first time and it scared her.

"Stop the car."

"It's not... true, is it?" Hojo's voice shook as he spoke-- he was losing momentum. He didn't actually think Kagome had that kind of relationship with Inuyasha, because he knew of the contempt Kagome harbored for others who had betrayed her. Friends who had turned their backs on her in high school had hurt the young woman deeper than she ever realized, and it was something she always carried with her. The fact that Kagome was so quiet now scared the young actor, who had always been deeply in love with her. His pride had been hurt this morning and he was now making up for that, but Hojo was quick to realize that this was not the place for such things.

As he reached a red light he looked at the woman beside him, who sat quietly with a shocked expression. Despite the bags under her eyes and flushed cheeks he thought she still looked as beautiful as she did on magazines. Fear replaced pride. He really didn't want to lose her. For the first time he could feel the distance that had grown between them. "Don't tell me it _is_ true..."

An irrational anger welled up inside of Kagome's stomach. "HE'S MY BEST FRIEND, YOU FUCKING ASS! _OF COURSE_ I WENT TO HIS HOUSE!" Before Hojo could even answer her, she let herself out of the car, bolting across the street with tears in her eyes, into a crowd of people waiting to cross the street.

"Kagome! Come back here!" Shit, there were too many people around! He rolled up the window, speeding off as soon as he noticed people staring at him. He couldn't do anything short of leaving his car in the street to chase her, but that would only cause more of a scene. It wasn't realistic to simply and suddenly park a car in Shibuya. Once he was around a corner Hojo produced his cell phone, hoping to reach Kagome.

The young woman in question kept running, ignoring the pain from her high heels as she rushed past shops and restaurants in broad daylight. Why the hell did she decide to dash out in the middle of Shibuya at lunchtime, when it would be incredibly crowded? People called her name as they recognized her; all she could do was keep running. When was she planning to stop? What should she do now? She must have looked like a mess. As she got out of the car she was madly wiping tears away from her eyes

Hideto lived near here. She wasn't all too sure that he was home (was he on tour?), but hopefully his wife was. If Kagome could just make it to his new apartment with as little incident as possible she could call Shippo or Sango. The loud clicking of her shoes echoed in her ears as she finally ran with a purpose.

"Kagome-sama!" She could hear someone else's footsteps coming after her. With wide eyes Kagome turned around, recognizing who called her.

"Miroku-sama?"

"What's wrong with you, look out!" Grabbing her by the shoulders Miroku pulled Kagome out of the street, narrowly avoiding a silver Nissan SUV.

Gasping, Kagome brought her hands to her chest. She could hear people chattering around them as she tried to calm down.

"I don't want to know what's going on, because I'm sure I'll find out. Let's just get you out of here for now."

There was nothing she could say. Now covering her face with her purse, she allowed her agent to escort her to his car, which was thankfully close.

* * *

When Miroku and Kagome reached the high rise where her apartment was located, she was pleased to find that her car had already been brought home. As they pulled into the building's parking garage Kagome spotted her cute white Peugeot, immaculate as ever, sitting neatly in its usual spot. For a moment she smiled as she began to exit the car. 

"Miroku-sama... I'm sorry to take up your valuable time like this. You see, Hojo and I--"

Miroku placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can stop there. That's all I need to know to figure out things."

"No, it's okay! I've dragged you into this, now."

"You had some sort of falling out?"

Kagome sulked, staring at the ground.

"That's all I need to know. Now, go inside and relax." His intention was to wait and ask Inuyasha about it later. Kagome needed to get her mind off of things as quickly as possible. The fact that she did not even acknowledge or react to his hand, rubbing her derriere, disturbed him deeply. She must have truly been distraught and burdened by whatever happened with Hojo. In truth, Miroku was dying to get filled in on all of what must have been some pretty juicy drama.

The woman before him was obviously suffering, though. If things with Hojo were this bad it meant an impending crisis for Kagome's staff-- a fight between the two would be a PR nightmare if word got out to the public. Kagome's new album would be released in a week, and her latest single had already proven to be a hit. Miroku mentally reviewed the list of names saved in his cell phone, wondering if her publicist's phone number was handy.

"Again, thank you so much. I'll see you later, Miroku-sama."

"Kagome-sama, please do something fun and relaxing. I could help you with a bubble bath, if you wish..." He winked.

She didn't even smile. "That might be nice," she muttered, walking away. Did she even hear what he had just said? It certainly didn't seem like it.

The agent turned to exit the garage with a frown already carved deeply into his face. He could feel in his gut that this situation wasn't over yet. In the near future he would be spending more time with Kagome's other staff members.

At the very least, he decided, he'd be seeing more of a certain hot little stylist-slash-assistant who punched like a sledgehammer. His frown lessened as he pulled out his cell phone.

* * *

Sleep started as fitful and uncomfortable. It was usually easy for Kagome to fall asleep; nothing felt better than the moment she would finally finish her work, sink every exhausted muscle into that wonderful mattress, and black out for the night. She wasn't used to this. Idle thoughts ran rampant through her head as the hours crawled teasingly by. 

No position she shifted to was comfortable enough to ease her recent frustrations. Nothing trivial could distract her, such as thoughts about dance moves or what she would eat for dinner tomorrow. The upcoming photo shoot would be a welcome distraction. Kagome's last resort was to move to the living room in hopes of drowning out her thoughts with some mindless television.

When was the last time she had watched TV at home, anyway? It felt like forever. Once Kagome found her remote control under the couch she slumped down into the cushions and turned the television on.

The sight was so welcome, almost moving her to the point of tears. For a moment the young woman had to hold her breath because she didn't know what else to do. From behind his black Gretsch (she heard he had recently smashed it on accident) Hideto looked back at her with a sultry expression, in the center of his band mates. Tetsuya or the rest of L'ArcenCiel wasn't in this video, it was Hideto's solo band. His signature baritone drawl and favorite guitar chords were unmistakable.

Maybe it had been a year since they'd seen each other. After Kagome's trip to Cebu she asked Shippo to mail him the souvenirs she picked up for him. He had written a letter in return, saying he received the gifts and telling her a little about his work at the moment. However, it had been quite a while since they'd had a meal or drink together-- just the two of them, or even in a group with his wife, Inuyasha (Hojo never liked being around Hideto), Sango, and Shippo.

Even though his hairstyles and clothing had changed, even though he had matured and settled down with a wife and child, and even though they didn't see each other very often anymore their friendship still thrived. Kagome watched him with the same admiration she always held for him, and slowly her head sank. Her eyelids grew heavy. She mouthed the words to his song until she slipped into sleep. It had been years since the young woman had fallen asleep to the sound of Hideto's voice.

* * *

_She knew that if she waited any longer, she'd go into a complete panic. Kagome was no stranger to playing in front of a crowd-- she had been in piano recitals for most of her life-- but the difference between those and a concert in front of classmates who she assumed hated her was very clear. Even if she had played poorly at a recital the audience would never throw things. There would be no booing or riots. The young girl trembled. She wasn't ready to die, especially by blunt force via white school shoes!_

Please, just let them leave if they hate me,_ Kagome whispered to nobody in particular. With one last glance towards Hideto, who nodded towards her as he spoke to some members of Husking Bee, she walked onstage before she could talk herself out of it._

_The crowd was predictably silent as they stared at her with unreadable expressions. It didn't matter a whole lot anyway, as the stage lights made it difficult to see everyone, but she could feel the energy change as she took her guitar from Osuke. Unable to find her breath, she practically whispered into the microphone. _

_"I'm Kagome" was all she said. A few snickers echoed and the patrons who weren't from her school looked around, confused at her reception._

_Akio's drumsticks set the tempo, clacking noisily for four beats. This was the cue to start playing. Her chords didn't concern her; she could play them in her sleep._

That's right,_ she recalled, still playing the beginning instrumental to the song. _I practiced my heart out for this! _A defiant anger built inside of her as she progressed towards the first verse. _

I learned a whole new instrument just so I could do this.

I'm sacrificing my college education for this.

I don't even want to _see_ you jerks after high school's over.

I know how good I can be at this.

There are more important things in the world than your respect.

And dammit, I'm both freezing _and_ sweating in this stupid leather outfit!

_How dare_ you come here and try to ruin my night!

_"Antara nanka dai kirai," she whispered into the microphone, surprising her band mates. Osuke and Akio looked at each other shocked but kept playing. Great, she just told the entire crowd that she hated them._

_Louder, she repeated herself in time with the music. "Antara nanka dai kirai!"_

_There were eight counts left before the first verse. As if exorcising the fear inside of her she stopped playing to roar at the top of her lungs. _

_"ANTARA NANKA DAI KIRAI!"_

_Kagome's screeching voice tore through the speakers in the club, sending a shock through everyone at the venue. Even though there was supposed to be a short pause before the first verse it was a little longer than rehearsed. Osuke and Akio were a little shaken and surprised, needing an extra count to recover. The audience also stood dumbfounded for that extra count, and for a split second the place was silent. Somehow Kagome anticipated the confusion from her band mates and without a second cue they resumed the song. Her playing was more fervent than any practice they had held. If she was going to die on the spot, she decided, she'd go down screaming and she'd make them all deaf! _A_ sinister grin swept across her face. The high school student's vocals dripped with venom as she recalled all the recent bullying. Her billowing ebony hair spilled everywhere as she thrashed about the stage._

_Kagome had originally regarded her high school class like a family. When hers had suddenly turned against her she had been so hurt, too hurt to fully realize it. Everyone whom she thought was on friendly terms with her, people she had enjoyed class trips with and helped out in school festivals for the last three years had suddenly acted as if she didn't exist, and worse. Even with Hojo's brief explanation she never fully understood the motives. As she stood over her "family" now, the prodigal sister of fourth year class B played belligerently. She wouldn't dare miss a note for them, no matter how violently she moved._

I don't need them,_ she decided. She would make a new family._

_Once she reached her solo, she finally paid attention to the people in front of her. In the center stood Hideto, surrounded by Husking Bee, trying to rile up the people around them. Their jumping and head banging had enticed audience members who weren't from Kagome's school, enough to push their way into the front rows. Heads of dark and bleached hair alike bounced to the beat, and the crowd remained rowdy through the song. As Kagome sang the last line she glanced down to Hideto, who kept his hood up and wore his sunglasses, even in the dark. She recognized his wide grin, carved deeply into his face. They clasped hands as she bent to serenade him with her last notes._

_Her classmates were shocked silent, but it didn't matter. Screaming and cheers rained hard onto the stage from the front rows, and before she could linger for too long Akio's cue for the next song had started. Kagome glanced at a set list taped to the floor to be sure of what song they would play next (though she already knew). As the realization that her classmates weren't the only people in the club hit she smiled a little more._

_Despite this, one by one her fellow schoolmates had joined the rowdy crowd up front in jumping as the set progressed. By the time it ended, Kagome had finally noticed once the entire club clamored for an encore; even the bartenders were applauding._

_"En-co-re," they shouted. This repeated throughout the building. Shocked, Kagome looked to Osuke and Akio. They hadn't prepared for a situation like this! They didn't have an album; the trio had already played all five of their songs! Fortunately the problem soon rectified itself. Slowly, all three band members could make out a new phrase:_

_"Anta nanka dai kirai!"_

_Akio grinned, holding his index finger up. They would replay the first song in their set list. With a wide grin Kagome returned behind the microphone stand, waving her middle finger to everyone who only cheered in reply. She was soon screaming the newest lyrics to their song while an enthusiastic crowd screamed back._

* * *

_"Your solo tonight was _insane_! I didn't think you could play like that!"_

_"I missed a couple of notes, Hide-chan, it could have been better," giggled Kagome. "I'm sorry I need another ride home."_

_"Believe me, it's my pleasure. I was just glad to make it tonight."_

_Only a couple of months had passed since Kagome graduated and she was already regularly booked at least three times a week in small clubs all over Tokyo. The success of her first concert had spread via word of mouth, and attendance at her shows remained steady. Because of his own busy schedule Hideto couldn't come to all of her shows, but relished each one he saw._

_He remembered a time like this in his own music career. If Kagome's innate musical ability was any indication of where she would be headed, the two of them would grow apart soon. She had plans to get a part-time job and move into her own apartment. She'd play as many shows as she could and save up whatever money was left from her share for studio time._

_This was one thing that perplexed Hideto. He had offered to pay for her studio time in order to expedite things, but the young woman was stubborn and insistent on working from nothing. As far as Kagome was concerned, Hideto had done more than enough by teaching her to play guitar. There was only one other thing she really wanted from him..._

_"Are you cold? I can't imagine you're all too warm in that leather bustier."_

_"I was hot when we left, but now that you mention it... let's just hurry to the car."_

_"That depends... will you come over for some cake first?"_

_"What?"_

_"Otherwise, you'll have to take my jacket so we can slow down. I miss hanging out with you."_

_In a walkway behind Club Quattro in Shibuya, on a windy August night Kagome and Hideto headed to his car. The owners of the venue were very gracious in allowing the rock star to park in one of their designated spots-- he needed to keep his friendship with Kagome secret and didn't want to risk being seen with her in public._

_She clutched a shopping bag full of trinkets and letters from fans at the venue. "If you want us to take our sweet time doing things, I can endure a few gusts of wind." The young woman had grown increasingly happy since graduation. Smiling shyly, she gripped her companion's hand and placed it around her shoulder. "Keep me warm like this." _

_"Anytime," he laughed. This was the straightforward, bubbly Kagome he had met in Osaka! In her final days at school he had never asked what became of the bullying, but it was clear that something had changed after Kagome's first concert. The first night she played her schoolmates had left fifty pairs of school shoes for her at the club, as an apology. It had been a pain for Kagome to remove them from the club, but she managed to get them home with help from the other bands that night. Kagome never mentioned her classmates to Hideto again after that night. "So, Kagome-chan."_

_"Yes, Hide-chan?"_

_"How does it feel to be without a curfew?"_

_"I almost feel like an adult. Can I spend the night at your place now?"_

_The older man tripped over himself in response. "Don't be a smartass," he hissed, knocking her with his hip as they walked._

_"Aw, what happened to friends with benefits?" laughed Kagome as they finally reached his car._

_"I know, I know. I'm a perverted old man, and you're never gonna let me live it down," he shot back at her as they got in. "You sure your Mama's not going to jump out of a bush and stab me one of these days?"_

_"She likes you, don't be ridiculous."_

_"Hm, maybe she does."_

_As Hideto placed his hand on the ignition Kagome softly covered it with her own. Pulling it gently away she gripped his fingers, wriggling hers in between his._

_"Kagome. Stop playing and let me-- hey!"_

_Before she could talk herself out of it the young woman sought out Hideto's lips with her own. He relented to her briefly. Once he did pull away Kagome had lost her boldness but still persisted. "I was serious, you know. I want to spend the night."_

_"Then I'll prepare a room for you."_

_"You know what I mean, Hide-chan."_

_"I... I'm serious, Kagome, I'll be forced to call your Mama. I don't want to die..." the joke was a last, futile attempt at disarming her._

_"Do you somehow think I'm playing? Now that I've graduated I wanna be with you. I know that some part of you thought of me as a woman when we first met, so why did things change?"_

_"I'm not against our age gap. You're really on your way to a career now. Do you even know how damaging it would be for us to be publicly associated at this point?"_

_"But if we act completely platonic people may think the same thing!"_

_"A lady leaving a man's apartment at night versus in the morning is seen as two different things, especially in a gossip magazine's eyes."_

_"But I love you. I really love you..." Shocked at her own confession she looked away._

_Seeing her expression broke his heart; he reciprocated what she felt._

_"Tell me something. Let's say in five years you're selling a million albums. Will you be just as happy if they refer to you as Higurashi Kagome, talented musician, or Hyde's girlfriend, Higurashi Kagome?" _

_She could find nothing to say._

_"Not to mention the fact that they'll bring up the age gap. Hey, I'm not saying there won't be other troubles but you'll be able to avoid at least these things."_

_Hideto was beginning to realize that he didn't want her to mind. He knew differently, though. It would be worse for both of them to naively continue as if such things didn't matter. He'd dealt with this before._

_"If it really doesn't bother you, come home with me tonight."_

_"Why do you have to give an ultimatum? I'm still nameless; we could at least try--."_

_"If you think you're so nameless, you haven't been paying attention. Think about how much you know about _my_ early career. In fact, didn't you tell me once that before you and I met you could name the last three people I dated? Do you think I didn't try to keep that stuff secret?"_

_"It doesn't mean all of those things will happen to me..."_

_"You're right. Maybe it'll be okay."_

_Though she still protested, she thought about it. Offhand she could name one celebrity relationship for each of her fingers, and deep down it really _did_ bother her! The idea that people could ignore how great she was on stage scared her-- what could she possibly do to fix a situation like that? Beyond this, even if she stayed in love with Hideto for the rest of her life, her love affair with music and performing would remain as the longer of the two. With a solemn shake of her head the young woman smiled at him, still gripping his hand tightly._

_"You're right. I'm so sorry... I need that respect first."_

_Even though he knew she'd say it, it was still painful to hear. Kagome gripped her morals so tightly, and was as idealistic as he had once been._

_"I understand."_

_She wanted him to protest. She wanted him to say he'd wait for her. When he said nothing but those two words the young woman kissed his cheek._

_He released her hands and pulled her to him, gripping the back of her scalp and burying his face in her shoulders._

_Outside of Hideto's car a few footsteps sounded. Hojo and Ayumi had come to tonight's show, and looked for her afterwards in hopes that they could greet their friend and give her a gift. It had taken a while for them to figure out which walkway was the one Kagome would be heading down, and both were surprised to see a familiar black BMW still parked in the club's VIP spot._

_Upon recognizing what was going on inside the car, Ayumi gasped. With one hand over her mouth she spotted Hideto and her best friend, caught up in a private moment. As they moved to kiss each other, Ayumi blushed. She couldn't help but stare for a few seconds, shocked at the sight. They shared no virginal peck on the lips like on T.V. dramas; these kisses were genuinely heated! The girl stared intently, still surprised at the situation but also mesmerized at watching a celebrity acting... human. Once the couple pulled apart Ayumi had to admit that she was a little envious of how tightly Hideto appeared to be holding her friend as they spoke. She wanted someone to hold her like that, too!_

This isn't right. _Ayumi realized that this was neither the time nor place for her thoughts._ I have no right to be watching this! I'm sorry, Kagome-chan!

_"Hojo-kun, we've got to get out of here!" Though she tugged on her companion's arm she found that he wasn't moving. With a sigh she kept pulling as the young man stood, unable to take his gaze away from the scene unfolding in the black sports car._

_Unaware of her friends outside Kagome experienced a bittersweet goodbye, breathless beneath Hideto's lips as they returned to hers. Unbeknownst to Hojo (Ayumi was too busy slapping him) this was the first and last time Kagome would share such lavish, languid affection with Takarai Hideto. _

_Finally, Hojo looked away. "Yeah."_

* * *

_It's cold!_

She didn't need to run her fingers over her arms to know that they were covered in goose bumps. At first Kagome tried burrowing into the corner of the couch, burying her arms, but soon her feet were also too cold to be ignored. It became an eventuality that she would crawl to the chair across the room and retrieve a fleece blanket hanging over its arm.

The freezing sensation in her toes soon melted away. Happy to be curled up and warm Kagome squirmed to see the T.V., a content smile plastered across her face. She'd left it on last night, on MTV Japan during its late night video run. She was pleasantly happy to see that Sunrise Tune was still on-- more music videos! Their non-music programming wasn't interesting, and the young woman took more pleasure in seeing friends and peers on T.V. At the moment Kagome watched a slightly younger singer named Sowelu and sighed, still drowsy. A few more minutes of sleep would be great, she decided, allowing herself to doze off once more.

It wouldn't last long. Just as she was about to nod off, the pop star's ears latched onto a familiar tune. She blinked, startled by her latest single playing in the background of an MTV newscast.

_"Good morning, this is Ruri with another MTV News Break! Several reports have come in saying that yesterday afternoon in Tokyo's Shibuya district Higurashi Kagome-san was spotted jumping out of a stopped car in an intersection."_

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Kagome clutched a pillow, tightly digging her nails in.

_"Eyewitness accounts are all consistent in claiming that she looked upset as boyfriend Hojo-san called after her, urging Higurashi-san to get back in the car. Video footage from several security cameras has been obtained, clearly showing her running down a sidewalk._

_"What does this mean for the Platinum Pair? There is currently no word from either Hojo-san's or Higurashi-san's representatives. Be sure to stay tuned as we bring you the latest music news every hour on the hour. Thank you!"_

"What the hell? What an idiotic excuse for music news!" With a violent thrust the pop star hurled her pillow at the television and then shot up to locate a phone. "Damn it!"

On her bedroom nightstand sat her new black cell phone. Kagome almost didn't notice it as she dashed in the room, but knew Inuyasha would have left it there. It was already turned on as the frantic woman reached for it, and before she could check the speed dial to see if Inuyasha's number was already entered it rang in her hands.

"Inuyasha?"

"Good morning, Kagome-sama."

"Hi, Miroku-sama. Did you see what was on MTV this morning? The nerve..."

"Oh dear. It's on MTV, too?"

"It's on _other_ networks?"

"NHK, at least. Inuyasha and I have been getting calls all morning about what happened yesterday, so we need to prepare a statement. He said he's on his way there and so am I. I'm about to speak to Hayashi-san as well."

"Oh... okay. I'll see you two soon, then." She ended the call.

Well, this was great. As she returned her new cell phone to the nightstand there was a brief knock at her front door, and then sounds of entry.

"Inuyasha, is that you?"

"Kagome-chan? Are you here?"

Sango. Kagome rushed out to the entryway to greet her friend.

"Shippo-chan, you came too?"

Kagome's friends each held a large plastic bag in their hands as they removed their shoes. Taking their bags for them, Kagome dragged both into her living room. She already knew the contents.

Shippo and Sango seated themselves on a white leather loveseat.

"Don't kill Miroku," Shippo started, "but he told me about how he ran into you yesterday."

"We're not sure what exactly happened yesterday, but Shippo suggested that we bring some of this fan mail to cheer you right up," Sango spoke as she beamed at Kagome, absentmindedly tossing her straight, dark hair with her fingertips.

"Thanks, you guys. I'll have to read some after things are taken care of today."

"You've got an appointment today? I didn't hear anything about it. Will Inuyasha be driving?" Shippo leaned forward in his seat.

Kagome realized that perhaps Shippo and Sango didn't know about the recent newscasts. "By any chance, did you watch TV today? Did Inuyasha or Miroku-sama call you guys?"

Sango and Shippo exchanged confused looks. "No. We got up early this morning to fetch the letters, and I stopped at my little brother's place. Did something else happen?"

Before Kagome could reply, a door slammed.

"Kagome!"

"Inuyasha!"

The pop star's face washed over with relief. She rushed over to her manager as he threw off his shoes, huffing angrily.

"What the hell's _wrong_ with you?"

Kagome slowed down in her tracks, her expression changing again. She bit her lip, allowing him to head to the living room. Inuyasha slumped down on Kagome's couch, ruffling his hair with his hands. He looked up at Sango and Shippo, unfazed by their presence.

"Did you guys hear about what happened? Did you hear what she did?"

"We were just getting to that," Kagome sighed as she sat down next to him. With a glare he leaned away from her. The gesture didn't go unnoticed by everyone in the room.

The young woman sighed again. "Miroku-sama wasn't the only one who saw me yesterday. Everyone else in Shibuya did, too."

"Oh my God!"

"Kagome-chan, what made you do that?"

"That's what I'd like to fucking know," growled Inuyasha. "Where is your common sense lately, Kagome?"

"I'm sorry! Hojo and I were talking about things and he-- I just... I got so mad when he said something! I screamed at him and ran away."

"There's a point where you're allowed to be distraught, Kagome, but there's only so much I can do for you if you act so irresponsibly!"

"Inuyasha, don't be so harsh on Kagome-chan," Sango tried vainly to calm him down.

"Hang on a second, Sango, you _know_ how Kagome is prone to be reckless," Shippo interjected with a stern look on his face.

"It's not our job to tell her what to do!" returned Sango, slightly shocked that Shippo would say such a thing.

"But it's our job to make sure she's got a career at the end of the day!" The young youkai stretched his arm out, pointing his hand in Kagome's direction. "She needs us as much as we need her. I love her _too_, Sango."

As the pair argued Inuyasha's stern disposition didn't waver. Gesturing towards them, Inuyasha gave Kagome a pointed stare that she quickly understood.

She had acted selfishly. To diffuse Shippo and Sango's argument the young woman rushed in between them, wrapping one arm around each for a hug.

"Stop. Please? I don't want you two to fight."

"Kagome-chan," Sango returned her friend's embrace, smiling awkwardly at Shippo. He returned the expression as he hugged Kagome, too.

"Either way it's obvious that we both worry about you."

"Thank you."

The room hung in an uncomfortable silence after that. Inuyasha grew restless to the point where he stood and began to pace. Shippo exhaled out loud, stretching. "So my guess is that Inuyasha's here to clean up this mess."

"Miroku-sama's coming, too."

Did Sango frown? It must have been Kagome's imagination; she didn't think the two were very familiar with each other.

"Actually, _Miroku-sama_ has just arrived." Everyone looked to the entryway where the man in question stood, clapping his cell phone closed. "Inuyasha, can I speak to you for a minute?"

* * *

It was already lunchtime by the time Miroku and Inuyasha had finished talking and planning. All of the five people at Kagome's apartment now surrounded her dinner table. Together with Shippo and Sango Kagome had made some sandwiches for everyone. 

The agent took his last bite. "The one thing that we were trying to avoid is already happening. Kagome-sama, the focus on your new single and even Hojo's new T.V. drama is being overshadowed by this little fight. They keep playing the same footage over again."

"You know, it's really _not_ that bad if Kagome sells a few more CDs because of--"

As quickly as Shippo spoke Sango's fist found itself digging into the top of his head.

Inuyasha sputtered. "In order for Kagome to _continue_ to make good songs, the focus needs to be on her music, not this fucking circus of a relationship."

"Yes," Interrupted Miroku. "We've established this already. Like I was saying if we don't watch it Kagome's going to be under more scrutiny."

"Seems like when it comes down to it I'm just an emotional creature." Kagome leaned on Sango's shoulder.

"All we're going to say to the press is that there is no comment. However, I spoke to Hojo's manager and she's agreed: we're going to have to play dirty. Just a little, anyway." Miroku looked to Inuyasha.

"It's actually pretty simple," sighed Inuyasha. "Just get caught in public a few times with Hojo and people will think things are normal."

Kagome was quiet, until she realized that people were waiting for her to reply. "O-of course. How simple."

The young woman's apprehension wasn't lost on her manager. Inuyasha was the only other person in the room who realized how bad things between Kagome and Hojo had become in such a short amount of time.

"Also, regarding your performance and award presentation coming up next month--"

"--The MTV Asia one right before our trip to the U.S." added Inuyasha.

"Yes," Miroku continued, flipping through a schedule book. "We've made it so that Hojo will be presenting the award with you. A couple of days after the award show is when you two are scheduled to go to Las Vegas to present your English demo. It'll be enough to overshadow this by then."

Sango put her sandwich down. "This all seems a little excessive for one small incident, doesn't it?"

In one swift movement Miroku slipped his hand over hers. "Not at all, my dear. Only one of these things is the immediate fix, while the other is long-term reinforcement. Is everybody clear on that?"

"Keh."

"Yes..."

"Yep!"

"Let go of my hand or die."

"Only if you promise to bear my children..."

With the crisp snap of Sango's slap across Miroku's face, all was settled.

* * *

It had been a long time since Kagome could sit at her window. In high school she loved learning to play the guitar in front of Hideto's living room window because from thirty floors up even a bustling, high-paced Tokyo looked sedate and peaceful. Her detachment from the ground, the rest of the world, was also a detachment from the stress of living. 

_This is all I need, sometimes._ It would be night soon. Beyond all of the problems that her run through Shibuya had brought, the day was a good one-- she had been with her friends. After business was taken care of the five of them talked and joked all day, enjoying each other's company. Sango was especially hilarious to watch as she dodged Miroku's blatant advances, literally fighting them off with her fists at many points. Had Kagome been the only one to notice Sango's blushing? It was cute.

Once there were orange swirls in the sky everyone but Inuyasha left to return home. He had been in the kitchen for at least thirty minutes now, preparing dinner for the two of them. Kagome waited in her piano room, bathed in warm light on the piano bench that she had moved to the window.

In a month, everything would change. If things went well in Las Vegas, if she actually got signed to an American label she'd stay there a while to tour. Either way, she'd be crossing the Pacific a lot more. The prospect was a little scary, but more exciting than anything else. This time around, she wouldn't be alone.

"Did you wanna eat in here?"

The sudden question startled her.

"That'd be great."

Over a card table the pair dined peacefully. It was a nice end to a day full of talking and laughing with company. A simple meal of pork ramen, croquettes, and salad reminded Kagome of old times with Hojo, years ago. Her memories of dinners like this would always be fond ones, but also remnants of a time that would never return. They couldn't return to the post-high school days of hundred yen dinners from convenience stores after a demeaning part-time restaurant job to pay for rent and head shots. Nowadays their only struggle to eat dinner involved being in the same place at the same time.

"This is really good. Thank you, Inuyasha."

"Was nothin'."

They finished their meal in content silence until Kagome rose to put their dishes away. When she returned, Inuyasha had already put away the card table and was sitting on Kagome's piano bench at the window. He turned to her, smiling as she approached. She sat next to him on the bench.

"What would I do without you, Inuyasha?"

"Burn someone else into the ground."

The hanyou was answered with a frown.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hm?"

"I'm so sorry. Honestly, from the bottom of my heart I didn't want you to be burdened with everything."

"It's my job, I can handle it."

"It's more than just this situation. I'm always a bother to you, and... I never realized how high-maintenance I've become. If someone were to tell me that once I became famous I'd be accustomed to my manager brushing my hair on tours, I'd think they were crazy! When anything happens to me, I always depend on you to help me deal with it, even if it's good! I know it's what I pay you for, but... I'm just... I'm sorry. You're so important to me, yet I'm essentially stopping you from having a life of your own."

Without realizing the weight of his gesture, Inuyasha moved his hand over Kagome's. "I'm in this line of work because my life didn't have much in it to begin with."

Though the sun was long gone at this point neither Inuyasha nor Kagome moved to turn on the light. Against a deep purple glow from the window they sat together in the dark. As the moment progressed, Kagome found herself leaning against Inuyasha. She turned her head, speaking quietly to him.

"As far as I'm concerned, my life is your life too. I'd be happy to share it for as long as you'll let me."

He turned to her, eyeing her coolly. "Be careful, I might take you up on that someday."

"Why not now?" Gazing up into his golden eyes that glinted in the dark her hand rose to his cheek, drawing him closer. The young woman allowed her eyes to drift closed as she lightly brushed his lips with hers.

This was as far as she got. Inuyasha's hands now gripped her shoulders, tethering her away from him.

"Don't do that anymore unless you mean it, Honey. I'm only a man... eh, you know what I mean. Good night. Going to bed."

"You're staying over?"

"Yeah."

Kagome shrugged her shoulders, at a loss of what to say. "Good night."

* * *

**Notes:**

Holy crap you guys, I think I took this story EVERYWHERE with me this summer. Wrote an impressive amount of this chapter in hotel rooms, airports, relative's guest rooms, etc.

Because the story got 100 reviews (on ff. net) I decided to at least get the rest of the chapter done while I can, but right now is really crunch time for me. Working on some important stuff outside of my regular job. Will be going to Japan again, before the year ends (and guess what band I'm gonna see again while I'm there XD;; ). I'll see how much I can write in my spare time (because I've been looking forward to writing these parts since I started), but just can't promise anything substantial. _Pretty_ sure next chapter's gonna include when Inuyasha and Kagome first meet.

So! Thank you all for the 100 reviews! For someone like me who is a non-writer, that's pretty damned cool. What else is pretty friggin' cool is the IYFG nomination this story got, thanks to Laurell-chan and MissMarilyn69. I'd never checked out IYFG until this happened, so it's a nice way to learn about a place:D You ladies are awesome.

I'll update the Fade and Flare web site (www. pinku. net/fadeflare. Remove the spaces!) with some cultural notes after I get some sleep.


	11. 10: Frustration

Fade and Flare

Chapter 10

Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shonen Sunday, and more companies I'm too lazy to look up. D:

* * *

This chapter takes place immediately after Chapter 9. 

It's racy. **This is your warning. **You can read the **uncensored** version at Mediaminer or off of this fic's homepage which... links to Mediaminer anyway. (see my profile for links).

* * *

On a whim she decided to go to bed as well, following Inuyasha as he padded down the hallway to his guest room next to her bedroom. Walking in tow she stopped when he stopped, giving the slightly bemused hanyou a wide smile when he turned around to raise an eyebrow at her. Shaking his head, he turned back around to resume the short trek to his room. Once he entered, he turned to close the door behind him. 

"Good_night,_ Kagome." With a soft laugh the door clicked shut.

"Good night," she called back from the hallway. Pouting a little she continued onward.

"Whoops." Just as the black-haired pop star entered her bedroom she realized she didn't remember her schedule for the coming day. Without pause Kagome went to see Inuyasha.

She didn't feel a need to knock, but later she would wonder why. With a sudden and loud twist of the doorknob she entered Inuyasha's room.

"Hey, Inuyasha. What time do I need to be awak-- oh!" A blush spread across her cheeks as she gasped, covering her mouth.

In front of her stood Inuyasha, shirtless, without pants, and about to shed his boxer shorts. His ears had raised and tilted forward as soon as the door burst open and the hanyou stood frozen in his tracks, wide-eyed at the woman staring.

They stayed like that longer than either had realized. Kagome's breathing quickened as she registered the sight before her, slowly appreciating the view. Though she had seen him in a swimsuit, this was different. Her eyes ran along the various crevices in his body; in particular they traced below his navel, trying their best to dart beneath the boundaries of his shorts. She wasn't _supposed_ to see him like this. She couldn't suppress her smile.

Finally recovering Inuyasha straightened, pulling his shorts back up. "I need you up at around nine." He decided to ignore the smile on her face.

"Nine..." Unconsciously, Kagome brought one finger to her lips, biting it as she examined him a little more.

"Anything else?" Inuyasha was starting to glare, hoping to ultimately distract from his blushing.

"You... you sleep naked?"

"S-sometimes, but I was just changing my clothes... hey, none of your business! Learn to knock, damn you!" Flailing for a second Inuyasha finally grabbed his discarded pair of pants-- the first object he could get his hands on-- and threw them at Kagome as she narrowly escaped, slamming the door shut.

"I gotta try this," she murmured in the hallway, sure that Inuyasha could hear. She headed back to her room, breathing quickly as his image came back to mind. The nervous breathing was soon eclipsed by her thoughts.

It was known: Kagome was attracted to him. Recent encounters reinforced these feelings, and she went to no trouble hiding the fact that she liked what she saw. The only thing of his left to the imagination was a scant few centimeters of flesh and hair that remained covered under the fabric of Inuyasha's shorts. As Kagome sat on her bed with his image swimming through her mind she smiled, picturing what it would be like to touch his skin again.

It came naturally: as she thought of him her hands unbuttoned her shirt, unhooked her bra, and finally released the button on her skirt. She shed these clothes where she sat, eventually rising to turn off the light. As she stood at the edge of her room locating a switch near the door, she flipped it off. A series of small lights underneath her large bed lit in turn, illuminating it with a soft glow. Before she moved to return to her bed she glanced at her bedroom door. She pushed it gently, leaving only a crack in the doorway. Sauntering back to her bed slowly, she flopped onto the mattress, blinking down at her panties for a second before staring at the ceiling. Kagome lay there, only listening, studying the shapes of shadows in the dark to pass the time.

What felt like an hour had finally passed and she thought she heard a click next door, followed by soft footsteps. This was affirmed by another soft click further down the hallway where the washroom was.

A smile spread across the young woman's face. She wasn't sure what came over her, and she wasn't sure why such a thing would come to mind at all tonight, but she knew that too much thought would only bring inhibitions. Once she heard the sink run and an eventual opening door she slipped one hand up to her breast. Picturing a certain white-haired hanyou with her she softly whispered his name when she thought she heard footsteps.

"Inuyasha..." she knew he would hear. Would he stop?

_What the hell?_ Was he being called? Inuyasha was doubtful. But the door _was_ slightly open. About to answer, he made a quiet approach to her bedroom. He halted when a particular scent collided with him hard. Frozen in his steps, his golden eyes widened once they fixated on the sight before him.

There was no way she was calling him. Alone in the middle of her bed lay Kagome. Each time her hands moved her head tipped back just slightly, and a sigh escaped her lips.

He knew he should have left. There was no way he couldn't call himself a lecher if he stayed any longer but the consequences of being caught could not permeate in the same way that the scent of Kagome's arousal had done. God, this was not okay.

She could feel him near. She did not hear any other doors close, and through the crack of her bedroom door an occasional glance registered a soft white shape there; it was surely his hair. Throwing her head to one side as her breathing intensified the young woman thought she caught a glint in his eyes.

"Mm, Inuyasha..." she gasped once more.

_...Fuck._ She had to have been toying with him. He almost felt inclined to walk away until he noticed more movement. Kagome had risen to her knees now, bowing her head as her thumbs hooked the edges of her panties. The sight was nearly too much to take in as he tried to decide between fixating on her smooth movements and appreciating her breasts at this angle. Taking deeper breaths she slid the panties down to her knees before lying down once more. One leg rose high into the air, allowing the small strip of fabric to snap back around her other leg as her toe escaped. As slowly as it raised it sunk back down to the bed, now bent as Kagome rest her heel on the mattress.

With a dry mouth Inuyasha swallowed as he fixated on the view between Kagome's thighs. The hanyou's name escaped from her lips again, a soft whisper echoing in the room as she looked at the doorway.

Damn her for this! Inuyasha gripped the doorframe tightly, transfixed as Kagome writhed on the bed. His name repeated in the dark as she squirmed, toes seeking leverage in the sheets. The hanyou, feeling hotter and more frustrated by the minute, was treated to an unobstructed view of Kagome's act. He could hear his own heart pounding, watching her while he remained engrossed behind the door. Her olive skin practically glowed as she shook, moving in a sea of unruly black hair as her scent teased him relentlessly.

She _had_ to know he was there! Was this some kind of lewd invitation?

The young woman finished. She hadn't taken any time to recover when she raised her head and sat up, now looking clearly at Inuyasha. His most pressing question had been answered.

He met her gaze, unsure of what to do. Reality slowly trickled down around them while they tried to recover from this encounter. Soon Kagome realized the extent of what she had done and began trembling, fearful of what it meant and afraid of the kind of woman she was becoming. Though she was almost too ashamed to move she managed to pull a blanket over her chest.

"This," Inuyasha ventured. "This is really what you and I come down to, isn't it? This is... this is the fucking _truth_ about us. Is that what you want me to say? Is that why you put on this little show for me?"

"I'm sorry."

"What do we even fucking _do_ after this?"

"I don't know. I didn't think that far ahead." Suddenly she felt terrible about having to speak to the door. "I just wanted to--"

"To what? Drive me fucking insane?"

"No!" Why wouldn't he come in? It was terrible speaking to him without being able to see his face. "Things are hard right now... I've just been a little tired of lies lately."

At first he replied with a loud sigh. With watery eyes he gripped Kagome's doorknob, taking one step into her room. "Honey. You picked the wrong line of work for that."

She looked at him, slowly lowering the hand that held her blanket close as she studied his troubled face. No wonder why he stayed behind the door. _Oh God... I did that to him._ She held back her tears-- she had absolutely no right to cry right now! Inuyasha had endured so much while all she ever did was cry, as if things were the roughest for her. "Inuyasha. I'm so sorry..."

"There are some truths that even I'm supposed to ignore, Kagome." With that he left, closing her door behind him.

* * *

**Notes: **

"Wait, what about that preview you posted?"

Oh, that. That's now a Chapter _11_ preview. Sorry this chapter's particularly short but I felt like causing some trouble.


	12. 11: Brutal Honesty

Fade and Flare

Chapter 11

I finally looked it up! Inuyasha (at least the anime, anyway) is copyright Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Yomiuri Terebi, and Sunrise 2000.

* * *

"Would you like the rest of my martini, Kagome?" 

"Please." She hadn't forced such a smile for him since high school. Fortunately her job allowed for constant practice; her ability hadn't dulled.

_Plus Minus Zero_ was a beautiful cafe! Even though Tokyo was literally littered with trendy and attractive places to sit and enjoy a tasty drink this one in particular struck a chord with Kagome's aesthetic sensibilities. She enjoyed its minimalist decor and white color scheme. Her black tea float had been pretty good, too.

With Hojo she sat in a corner table adjacent to a window, pretending to laugh and converse as if it were actually fun. This pair of celebrities pretended as if there were no eyes on them, and in turn all with prying eyes pretended to look at other things when they feared being noticed. The bustling cafe was full of liars today, which was why Kagome wanted a shot of whiskey. It served as "liquid courage", Inuyasha often joked. As Kagome noticed someone taking out their cell phone to sneak a photo of them she could only sigh and turn her head away, directing Hojo to do the same thing.

The young woman began to lament. It took a mistake in Shibuya for her to finally be granted time with her fiancee, but now it was uncomfortable to be around him. Lately Inuyasha had distanced himself from her, too. She couldn't blame him. Though she felt no shyness about pleasuring herself in front of him, the young woman was still ashamed of going to such lengths to get his attention.

_"This is really what you and I come down to, isn't it? This is... this is the fucking _truth_ about us."_

Inuyasha's words were spot-on; they had ignored the truth. They weren't supposed to acknowledge it. From behind the safety of a closed door was where Kagome could truly be herself. It really shouldn't have been a new thing for her. Every other aspect of her life was kept at a safe distance from the rest of the world, filtered for public consumption.

When she spent her high school years in this manner at Hideto's apartment it was glamorous; like a game. Keeping secrets was like being a part of a special club. Those years had passed so quickly. Before the pop star had realized it the game became more of a chore, full of consequences when neglected. The safe haven of closed doors had turned into a prison.

_"This is... this is the fucking truth about us."_

_That's right,_ something inside of her finally admitted that night. But once she'd done so, something in her heart felt less confined. Kagome wanted more of that feeling. Inuyasha could give it to her.

Sadly, she glanced at Hojo. As the remainder of his martini sank to the bottom of her stomach she could feel her mood going down with it. They had not spoken about what happened in Shibuya. Perhaps Kagome didn't want to talk about it, afraid to fully address the reason why she allowed her faith in this man to waver so easily. Perhaps Hojo was afraid to bring up another wound. As the days passed it was pretty apparent to Kagome that Hojo had not cheated on her, though it was clear that their fighting brought out other problems they had previously just ignored.

Things that Kagome had once overlooked because she was in love were now under heavier scrutiny. In a way she worried for him. _For better or for worse..._ When things were good, she felt more than elated. Now Kagome was unsure if she had any more patience for the "worse" of things. Emotional distance grew tiring; the weight of their impending doom sat heavily on her shoulders. She wondered if Hojo felt as taxed as she did, suddenly feeling lonely.

But even though the last year had been disappointing they'd shared moments that were irreplaceable. In watching how he grinned as they spoke today Kagome was hit with a wave of nostalgia. It had been so long since they'd spent time together at such leisure. Exhaling sadly, Kagome interrupted Hojo momentarily. "I'm sorry. I've got some choreography to practice today so we'll have to wrap this up soon."

"Ah," he beamed at her. "Well, that's okay. I had a great time today! Next week, I've got another place in mind. Do you think we can manage something before the awards show?"

For a second Kagome looked thoughtful. Though there would be another rehearsal it could be done. "It would absolutely need to be on Thursday night."

"No problem. I'll have Yuka set it up and I'll call you. I already can't wait." That smile reminded her of old times.

"Same here..."

The liquor in her stomach wasn't sitting too well with the ice cream.

* * *

_Backstage Kagome thumbed through a photocopied booklet, shocked and delighted._

_"You guys are awesome! This is so cool! I don't believe it; I'm not worthy of something like this."_

_"Don't think like that, Kagome-san! All of the members absolutely believe in you. You're going to go far, and we're going to cheer for you through it all!"_

_She couldn't wipe the smile off of her face. "I hope you're right. Well, I've got to get ready now, but I hope you ladies enjoy the show! Can I keep this?"_

_"Please do! Take care, Kagome-san!"_

_Carefully, Kagome tucked the fourth issue of her fan club newsletter under an arm while she waved goodbye to two girls in gothic lolita gear-- co-founders of the fan club. She hummed as she headed to her dressing room, kicking the door open._

_"Hide-chan, I have a fan club! They gave me a copy of the newsletter, too! I can't wait to get home and frame this."_

_"Damn, I should have thought to start one of those for you."_

_Kagome removed her jacket, revealing a black leather bustier. With practiced speed she took out her stage makeup and began to apply eyeliner. "I already know you're my number one fan," joked the girl._

_"Oh, so I'm just a _fan_, am I?" He paused, changing his tone. "Hey, what the hell is this?"_

_"Hm?" Once her eyeliner was applied she looked over her companion's shoulder while he read the newsletter. Inside was a picture of Hojo among a handful of other audience members. He looked as if he were about to pass out (Kagome's audience was typically rowdy) as he held up a sign with _I'm in love with you, Kagome _printed across it in bold letters. The brazen gesture never concerned Kagome too much. She laughed, rolling her eyes a little. "He does that at every show. Wants me to go out with him." With another giggle she applied her lipstick. "He'll probably ask me out again tonight; I might go just to shut him up. He's kinda hot, anyway."_

_"This is that friend of yours, right? The one I hit with my car?" _

_"I almost kinda understand, but... wait, what?"_

_"I mean, he's your little friend from school, right?"_

_Kagome could only stare at Hideto slightly confused. Hit with a car? She would have to let it go for now, anyway. "Yes. I've known him forever."_

_"And you're gonna date him? After you and I--"_

_"After we _what_, Hide-chan? Agreed not to date each other? What do you expect me to do, stay single forever? I know you won't. I don't expect you to."_

_He didn't reply. _

_"As I'm sure you understand quite intimately, I've got a libido like anyone else."_

_Turning away he produced a cigarette, lighting it to calm down. "Sorry, I know. To me it's just shitty, okay? He gets to see you because he's a nobody. One day his name will be known because he took the famous Higurashi Kagome out on a date. At best he'll be an obscure trivia question in one of your fan club newsletters." _

Why _him,_ of all people? _He glared down at a red pentagram ring on his right hand. It shifted as he made a fist. Kagome's hand, smudged with black makeup, covered his gently._

_­_

_"Be happy for me. Please?"_

_"If he ever hurts you I'll rip him a new one. And don't you dare get knocked up!" Hideto was pouting now._

_Kagome practically fell over. "Are you serious? We're still in the hypothetical here, and you're practically... gah!" She slapped him on the back of the head. "Don't let that spiky hair pierce through the part of your brain that keeps you rational."_

_"Ow!" The rock star almost dropped his cigarette. "Sorry. I get a little irritated when I don't get what I want. I hate to lose, you know."_

_Producing a tissue, Kagome cleaned excess makeup off of her hands and put things away. "You're not the only one settling, you know." _

_Swiftly he took her hand, gripping it tightly. Startled by the intensity of Hideto's expression Kagome remained silent. She watched his lips part, as if wanting to say something. Once their eyes met, they quickly parted ways again. His fingertips brushed hers gently as he finally released her hand, but it was clear he wasn't satisfied with things. With a firm grip he pulled the young woman against him, wrapping his arms defiantly around her._

_"Stay with me tonight."_

_"This isn't fair. When I was ready to do it you were so big on changing my mind, and now you're gonna trivialize all of that? You asked me to make a ridiculous, overly-dramatic decision in the first place; deal with it now."_

_Tightening his hold, the older man sighed into Kagome's hair. "I guess I'm having trouble following through. Dangling your new boyfriend in front of my face... it's a little cruel, don't you think?"_

_"Maybe the truth is cruel, but I don't ever want to hide these things from you, Hide-chan. We're friends for life. This guy... he's not even my boyfriend yet."_

_His fingertips caressed the exposed skin on her back as he considered her words._

_"At the very least let me give you a night to remember."_

_At this, Kagome had to giggle. "Silly, you've given me a million nights to remember!"_

_"You know what I mean."_

_"...I've got to go on stage, now. See you after the show?"_

_Hideto felt a pang in his chest. It seemed like a small piece of him was steadily disappearing as he slowly loosened his grip. Finally he nodded, unable to meet her gaze as he completely released her. A period of their lives came to an end that night as Kagome left for the stage._

_For once, watching her perform was painful. A sense of pride always soared in Hideto's heart as he watched her grow ever more comfortable in her own skin, but the fact that she preferred being on stage over being with him still stung a little. _

_Now faced with the realization that another man would one day reap what he himself had sown, he became uneasy. Any jerk off the street had the potential of ruining Kagome, including Hojo. It would only be a matter of time before she'd have other goals in life beyond her career._

_He couldn't always be there for her. His own band would be touring soon, leaving nobody else in Kagome's life to push her forward. Beyond that he had radio shows, magazine interviews, commercials to shoot and of course more songs to write. While her family was supportive, her mother was also (sometimes alarmingly) too trusting of her daughter's choices to assume much authority over her. Additionally, there was no guarantee that any future boyfriend would encourage Kagome's progress without his own agenda in mind._

_As Hideto watched Kagome's set continue he produced his cell phone, intent on handling things._

_To the horror of the rock star, Kagome was speaking to Hojo once the show ended. She laughed a little during their exchange, and eventually pulled him onstage with her. Heading backstage with a blushing Hojo in tow, she smiled once they met Hideto._

_"Great show," was all he could say. He didn't even glance in the younger man's direction as the trio went to Kagome's dressing room. _

_When Kagome left the pair outside as she changed, there was already an awkward silence between them. A few moments crawled by until Hideto cleared his throat to speak._

_"If you get your way..."_

_"Pardon me?"_

_"...you'll drag her down, somehow. I'm certain about this."_

_Though the younger man was not a stranger to Hideto's straightforwardness, he was shocked at the strong words. Hojo didn't manage to meet the older man's eyes but spoke anyway._

_"I don't know where you get this from, but you don't seem to understand how much I--"_

_"Frankly I don't give a shit about you and your deal. Don't get in her way." Lighting another cigarette, Hideto knocked loudly on Kagome's door. "I'm out of here! Have a good night, Baby."_

_"Going so soon?" Kagome's muffled reply could be heard from inside._

_"Yeah, I've got something tomorrow. I'm gonna call tomorrow night, so you'd better be around for it."_

_"Got it."_

_"I'm serious-- this one's important! Be available to talk after dinner."_

_"When have I ever missed your call? Don't worry. G'night, Hide-chan!"_

_"Bye." While exhaling smoke the rock star began to walk away, completely ignoring Hojo again._

_Kagome definitely needed guidance while Hideto resumed his own career. At this point, only one thing could ease his worries, at least a little: next week, she would find a manager._

* * *

**The Love That Finally Got Through**

Those who have attended more than one of Kagome-san's concerts instantly recognize the cute mystery man (pictured left) as one who has tirelessly professed his love for her at each live show. Though his name and age are still a mystery it is now speculated that Kagome-san has finally acknowledged him, having pulling him by the hand backstage on Saturday the 21st (pictured below)! We'll be cheering for both of you, Kagome-san!

_With clenched teeth Hideto crumpled up Kagome's latest fan club newsletter into a ball. "What total bullshit," he hissed._

_"Hey! That's my souvenir!" Snatching the victimized booklet from his hands she did her best to smooth out the paper. "You didn't have to read it. I didn't ask you to."_

_"Sue me, I was curious about what your fans were saying about you. Nice to see the club letter's already turned into a gossip magazine."_

_"Girls eat this stuff up; what's your point?"_

_In a stuffy building with worn blue carpeting the pair walked down a hallway belonging to the last talent agency they would visit for the day. Though Hideto was dressed casually in his usual jeans and hooded sweatshirt combination Kagome accompanied him in her stage clothing. To solidify her image the rock star had insisted she come dressed this way. So far things looked bleak-- the first two agencies they had visited were not interested in representing another rock act. The last one they had visited loved her music and look but wanted an unreasonably large percentage of her pay. It was too much, even for a nameless act, Hideto insisted._

_The meeting that Hideto had scheduled with this agency was easily arranged, but his contacts were adamant about allowing their newest hires a chance to evaluate Kagome. This company's practices were quite unorthodox, but Hideto had already gone through most of his connections. His disbelief at this situation had thrown him. Though Kagome's talent was apparent people were so afraid to take a risk. Fledgling rock bands with attractive male members could draw screaming girls in by the ton, but a female solo act like Kagome raised doubt. Had any of these jerks really paid attention to her concert footage, where she effortlessly commanded the crowd? What was even more unsettling was that he could not stay for this final meeting. Preparations for his band's tour were underway and tonight involved a meeting with a set designer and rehearsals for their first tour date._

_As the pair reached a waiting room employees stood and bowed in greeting to Hideto. Two girls, probably waiting for a meeting, gasped aloud as they stared at the rock star and giggled to each other. Kagome smiled at them, inwardly giddy to be accompanying her friend. She glanced at her companion's face and marveled at how cool his expression was while he held the attention of everyone in the room. Could she really be like him?_

_"Please come this way, Hyde-san, Higurashi-san." A tall woman in a smart black suit bowed deeply as her hands gestured to a room ahead. She then walked ahead of them, announcing their arrival before leaving. With one last deep bow she left them in a small office with one desk and three chairs. On the back wall in this office was a door, probably to a supply closet._

_Kagome glanced over to Hideto, who nodded at her in reassurance. With a small breath she bowed to a tall man standing in front of her._

_"My name is Higurashi Kagome. Pleased to meet you."_

_"My, aren't you quite beautiful!"_

_Hideto raised an eyebrow._

_"By all means, if we're going to be working together please just call me Miroku." Instead of bowing the tall, dark-haired man in a blue suit kissed her hand. He then paused, taking time to bow to Hideto. "May I also add that it's quite an honor to meet you, Hyde-sama. I'm so new to this industry yet I now have the opportunity to meet someone like you. Thank you."_

_"Nice to meet you." The bow was barely returned._

_"Now, if you please, Higurashi, may I have your tapes?"_

_"Sure..." Kagome didn't know what to make of this strange man. Was she being treated informally because of her status? She turned to Hideto, who produced a cassette from a yellow backpack that also carried her street clothes. As she handed it to Miroku he made a point to take both of her hands as they clutched the tape._

_"If this isn't the face of a star I don't know what is."_

_Hideto's eyes narrowed._

_"I might be so bold as to say that if your talents are half as stunning as your beauty, My Lady, we'll make a wonderful team." The strange man did not release Kagome's hands, but brought them to his lips one more time._

_Now, Kagome was completely lost. Was this even acceptable behavior? She turned, staring helplessly at Hideto, who angrily checked his watch. Was it appropriate to call for help?_

_"Before I play this, I am compelled to ask you something."_

_"...Yes?"_

_"Will you... bear my children?"_

_Before she could pull her hands away she heard movement behind her. The young woman found herself being yanked away from Miroku._

_"THAT'S IT. We're leaving! Kagome, let's get the hell out of here."_

_"Wait, where are you two going, don't we have a tape to listen to?"_

_"You've got to be kidding me! What on earth would you have tried to do with Kagome if I hadn't been in the room? How the hell can she trust you when it's pretty obvious that all you're interested in is getting in her pants? We're done here!"_

_"Whatever are you talking about, Hyde-sama?" With one deft swipe he grabbed Kagome's wrist, holding her steadily._

_"Let go of me! Hey, let go of me! Hide-chan, help!"_

_"Oh dear, 'Hide-chan'? I'm sorry, I had no idea you two had _that_ kind of relationship, please pardon me..."_

_"We don't! And let go of her, damn you!"_

_Kagome screamed. Other employees began collecting in doorways, looking strangely... amused?_

_"What in the fucking hell is going on here?"_

_The door in Miroku's office flew open and slammed into a wall. Apparently it wasn't a closet._

_Immediately the young woman's eyes locked onto a pair of fangs. A youkai? She had never been this close to a real youkai before. Though many had been to her family's shrine she generally kept her distance from visitors. Forgetting about her situation she stared at him, fixating on his angry golden eyes and snowy white hair that waved against his red dress shirt as he yelled. His smooth movements and furious body language would have reminded Kagome of a tiger, had it not been for his most curious feature: the pair of dog ears (were they dog ears?) atop his head._

_She wanted to touch them._

_"Shit, Miroku, don't tell me this was the four o'clock."_

_"Of course it was, what's with that-- ow!" _

_The youkai slapped him on the head. "I knew it. I fucking KNEW I should have met with her instead of you! We're switching duties as of now!" He walked past his colleague and nodded his head to both Hideto and Kagome, as it wasn't customary for youkai to bow to humans. "I apologize for my fucking idiot partner here." With another glare he slapped the back of his coworker's head. "BOW, Stupid!" he hissed. " My name is Inuyasha; sorry to meet like this. Look, as strange as this is gonna sound, this guy means no harm and would never take advantage of his client."_

_"Nice to meet you anyway. My name is Hyde and this is Higurashi. As rude as this is going to sound, I can't say I'm particularly inclined to believe you," Hideto answered._

_"No, that's fair. I'm not gonna sugarcoat some vague bullshit in keigo to pacify you but I can give you my word that this man over here will absolutely not be this girl's manager if you give us another chance. We'll both take care of her, since Idiot Miroku and I are partners, but he can act as more of an agent."_

_What the hell was wrong with this management company? Kagome stepped back to stand behind Hideto. She watched him think about what he was told before nodding._

_"I think I respect your straightforwardness. However, the decision is up to Kagome."_

_All eyes fell on the young woman as she realized it was her turn to speak. "Ah..."_

_"Kagome, as much as I hate to rush you I need to leave now. If you're not interested we'll leave in the same car. Otherwise I'll have someone pick you up later."_

_"Oh, I don't want to be a bother, I can leave with you..."_

_With a sigh Inuyasha interjected. "Y'think he would have done all this for you if he was worried about something like that? Just make the right decision."_

_Both Hideto and Kagome were shocked at the youkai's directness. The rock star examined Kagome's face; her lips were turned up in a slight smile as she gazed at Inuyasha. He had his answer._

_"Call me when you're done. Oh, and don't you dare sign anything without showing me first." With a pat on the shoulder he handed Kagome her backpack and walked towards the exit. As if programmed to do so everyone except Inuyasha and Kagome bowed deeply as Hideto left._

* * *

_"Miroku."_

_There was no answer._

_"Hey Idiot!"_

_Still no answer._

_"Hey! Sex Offender!"_

_Miroku finally replied from the adjacent room. "Yes?"_

_"Get us some tea."_

_After Miroku returned and served the drinks, he closed the door to Inuyasha's office behind him._

_"So. Your sweaty leather completely reeks. Are you a rock act?"_

_"I reek?" Kagome couldn't hide her dismay._

_Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha snickered. "Don't take it personally, I'm sure your skin smells very nice under there... for a human. You're a rock act, right?"_

_"Yes..."_

_Inuyasha's office was similar in size to Miroku's, but was slightly more cluttered with papers. On his wall hung a calendar covered in messy handwriting. On each Sunday of the month the same memo was scratched in red ink across the paper: _Buy Ramen.

_Kagome was quick to discover how impatient Inuyasha was. "And that's all you have to say? You're just a rock act? Do you play all the instruments yourself or what? What's so special about you?"_

_Surprisingly, she had never answered these questions before. Staring down at her feet she paused and gave them some thought. For Inuyasha too many seconds crawled by as he watched her facial expressions change while processing a few thoughts._

_"Oh! Well, I play guitar and piano, actually. I've got one guy on bass and another guy on drums, too, but I write all of the songs myself."_

_"Ah." He showed no emotion on his face._

_"Um... "_

_"Yeah?" The hanyou's left ear twitched idly and Kagome stared at it, unable to look away._

_They shared a moment of silence as Kagome mustered the will to ask what had been on her mind ever since she first saw him._

_"Never mind. It's ridiculous."_

_"Too late, you already interrupted. What were you gonna say?"_

_Without a word Kagome stood from her seat, placing both hands on Inuyasha's desk. Leaning forward and reaching with her left hand, she grabbed for his ear._

_"They're so _cute_! Can I touch them?" she started to say, just as her other hand bumped something warm. With a dull clatter Inuyasha's mug emptied itself all over his desk and lap._

_"Ow, that's hot! What the HELL, you... you wench! I'll rip your fucking face off!"_

_Kagome shrieked, grabbing wildly for a napkin. She reached frantically into her backpack in hopes for something to absorb the tea, but was quickly stood up and pushed toward the door._

_"In the short amount of time that I've known you I've had this horrible sense of foreboding that I've tried to ignore until now. You've gotta go."_

_"What? Just like that? You haven't even listened to my tape, or... Hey, why'd you even bother asking for a second chance when--"_

_"--I don't need to listen to your tape if your charisma onstage matches the bubbly, glittering example I'm witnessing here. Do you mumble like that behind a microphone, too?"_

_"You jerk!" Kagome slapped at Inuyasha's arm and reached into her backpack, producing her latest concert video. "Watch this before kicking me out!"_

_"Why should I? You're obviously worthless when that Hyde guy's not here to talk for you!"_

_Reaching into her backpack again, Kagome produced her demo cassette and flung it into Inuyasha's face. _

_"Keep it!"_

_As he growled, knocking it out of the way Kagome dove for a nearby VCR, pulling a video of her concert with her. She shoved the tape into the player. "I'm not worthless! Why are you suddenly being a jerk?" Just as she turned on the television she was lifted off the ground; Inuyasha slung her small body over one shoulder as he moved to exit the room._

_A scream from the television speaker shook him. He was at first confused that such a voice could send a shiver down his spine. Pausing in his tracks, as the hanyou was about to throw Kagome out the door, he turned to the video in shock. He stood there, entranced by such a stage presence while the real Kagome remained curled over his shoulder. She'd been classically trained. Such was clear in the way she controlled her pitch so well-- even in a heated moment! However, Inuyasha noticed two other distinct things. First, while Kagome's control was formidable her vocal style was even more so-- it was gritty and passionate. Next, her playing was amazingly intricate. The riffs she played did not slow down, and their difficulty did not ease as she sang. Even the most experienced performers had to carefully juggle these things._

_Would a person with this amount of skill really be his to represent? As he watched the audience explode at her feet he had a passing realization that Kagome was still hanging over his shoulder and put her down, slowly._

_"Please... you're my last chance today," she finally murmured._

_"Hm?"_

_"You like what you're watching, don't you?"_

_He paused. Was it really that obvious? "Sing something for me."_

_"What should I sing?"_

_"Hm." He was dying to see what her voice could do. "Sing the song we just watched, but in the style of a ballad."_

_She stared at him, a little wary of his intent. "Sure... pop or rock ballad?" _

_Inuyasha tried his best to look indifferent. "Uh, pop, I guess."_

_Clearing her throat first, Kagome sang the first verse in a slower tempo, embellishing notes in the last line. Before she could continue with the second verse Inuyasha stopped her._

_"Thank you, that's all I need to hear." His tone was cold and dismissive but he was blown away by how easily she removed herself from the rock style. He forgot about his soaked pants and desk. In front of him stood a fledgling goddess masked in black makeup and leather. At least that's what he wanted to think. Part of him always remained skeptical, though. " I want to know whether or not I can be confident in selling you to people. I need to be able to trust that your skills are consistent and would like to go to a couple of your shows."_

_Kagome's face brightened. "Absolutely! If you want we could even have dinner beforehand, and get to know each other!"_

_"No, just tell me the places and times," he replied flatly. "I don't have time to stay through it all."_

_"Oh. Sure... Let me have your cell phone number."_

* * *

_With a sigh, Kagome stepped out of the women's restroom and headed for an elevator. Though she liked how she looked in leather it didn't breathe well. Thankful for the change of clothes she brought, she had cleaned up in a washroom, shedding her leather bustier and pants for a short denim skirt, gray t-shirt with screen print, and white coat. The tall black boots she wore with her leather outfit looked classier with these clothes as their clicking heels echoed in the brightly lit hallway._

_As she entered the elevator so many impressions swirled in her head as she thought of Inuyasha. She was unsure as to whether or not the meeting had been successful, mostly in thanks to his short fuse and strange demeanor. He and Miroku made a ridiculous pair. Could they handle Kagome's needs in a professional manner?_

_"Second floor." The automated voice broke Kagome out of her reverie. Looking up, she gasped a little as Inuyasha entered. The young woman immediately stared back down at her feet, bowing a little as he stood to her side. Once the doors closed she could feel his eyes on her._

_A clawed hand reached over her, pressing a button. It paused before pressing one more; the car didn't move. Odd, it should have done something by now. Before Kagome could examine the console she felt a hand sliding down her back. Inuyasha spoke quietly to her from behind, whispering softly into her ear._

_"Sorry, I can't control myself when I see a lady in boots. Say you'll have a drink with me."_

_At first, Kagome could only squeak in response. Really, what was wrong with this company and its employees? His arms snaked around her waist, hands resting on her belly, as he pulled her against him._

_"Inuyasha-san... even if I wanted to get a drink I'm not twenty yet and I'm kinda seeing someone right now."_

_"Wha--"_

_As suddenly as he had grabbed her he pushed her away from him, dashing to the other side of the elevator._

_"Hi-Higurashi? But you smell completely different! Damn all of you humans for looking alike!"_

_"You thought I was... we don't all look alike, what's wrong with you?"_

_"I don't know what the hell came over me," Inuyasha retorted, "because you do NOT look sexy."_

_The nerve of that guy! Were all youkai as rude as he was? "You don't have to go so far as to insult me just because you... no, you know what? I don't even want to know what would have happened if I hadn't said anything. If you treat your talent like this I don't want anything to do with you!"_

_"Shut up, it's not like that! I made a mistake."_

_"I bet you're only calling it a mistake because you aren't getting any ass! Ten seconds ago you were about to attack me!"_

_"Hey! Hot chicks love when I treat them like that. I take girls to hotels all the time like this; what do you know?"_

_"I'm a hot chick. I think I know plenty."_

_"You idiot! If I'd have known it were you... Y_ou've_ got an actual _brain_ and marketable skills! I can't just fuck girls like you."_

_Kagome's mouth opened to yell again, but paused. "That had better be a compliment." Her reply was quiet. There were so many other things she wanted to yell about but her surprise at such extreme words and this disturbing situation kept her silent. She just wanted to leave._

_"Keh."_

_The young woman grunted in response, pushing a button to start the elevator. "So, that was your intent, then. Using poor girls for sex like that, what a jerk."_

_"Don't be naive! A girl like that is after the same thing. And if she's not that kind of girl it's not like I won't find out in the first ten seconds." If Kagome hadn't been as disgusted as she was, she would have found a bit of humor in the way Inuyasha flailed, explaining himself. "Anyway, did you call Hyde yet?"_

_"Why, think I'm gonna tell him all about what you just did? Don't flatter yourself."_

_A growl escaped from between Inuyasha's clenched teeth. "I can give you a ride home if you haven't. That's all."_

_"Oh?" _

_"I want us to be even." Looking away, Inuyasha folded his arms._

_"I don't know," Kagome answered, "I can't help but wonder if I'll get sexually assaulted on the way home."_

_"You little smart ass..." Inuyasha stood over her, growling._

_"First floor." _

_Kagome's possible demise was interrupted by the elevator's electronic voice as the doors opened. Past a trio of very confused-looking salary men she ran out into the lobby, trying her best not to scream. Before she left the building she turned, waving to the white-haired youkai._

_"I'll give you a call next week, you jerk!"_

_As she disappeared from sight Inuyasha chuckled to himself. Her heart sounded like it was trying to beat its way out of her chest in the elevator. Despite her obvious fear of him she was still willing to work with him._

_This was going to be interesting._

* * *

Seated next to a large window at a warmly lit restaurant in Harajuku, _To the Herbs_, Kagome tapped her toe impatiently. Across the room at a bar sat Shippo, watching her with a bit of pity in his eyes. This situation was disgustingly familiar. 

There was no doubt as to why Hojo picked out this place. In the evening the restaurant's massive window glowed against its warm brown decor with deep, clear blue light from the dimming sky outside. He knew Kagome had an affinity for gazing out of windows-- it was no secret to anyone who knew her. This window overlooked Harajuku station from three floors up. On this wet, overcast evening people swarmed across the street, pouring into a massive crosswalk. A few umbrellas moved through the crowd like flowers floating along a river.

What the pop star was worried about was if she would get out of this place without problems. When they discovered upon arrival that Hojo's choice was directly across from a major train station and directly above a popular clothing store Kagome shook her head, worried about how they would leave the area. Though she hid her face under dark sunglasses, clinging to Shippo's arm as they walked through the district, the plan was to reveal her identity as usual once Hojo showed up.

In addition to these things, Harajuku was a bit of a strange place to visit for the express purpose of sitting in a random mid-priced restaurant. Next time she would leave the responsibility of choosing a cafe or restaurant to Inuyasha and Yuka. They had chosen previous places with comfort and practicality in mind.

Poor Hojo. He had always been a strange mix of caring and negligence, and it showed through especially in times like this. This was one thing that endlessly confused Kagome, but she felt inclined to forgive so much because his intent was innately good. Unfortunately, though, it was almost as if he focused so much on his good deeds that he had no awareness of the inconvenience they often became to others. His botched engagement party in Cebu was a prime example of this, easily serving as one of the last straws for Kagome.

With this in mind, where the hell was he? Kagome checked her watch again. He was supposed to show up nearly an hour ago, but was missing. This was classic. Rolling her eyes, the annoyed young woman produced her cell phone and called Hojo. Right before Kagome would reach his voicemail the phone was answered.

"Kagome! What's up?"

She felt her eyebrow twitch. "What the hell do you mean, 'what's up'? I've been here for almost an hour now!"

" But I have that commercial shoot with NHK today--"

"--GOD DAMN IT." Clapping her phone shut, Kagome stood from her seat. No longer mindful of any stares she stalked to the front counter to pay her bill and rushed out of the restaurant while Shippo frantically followed her.

"Kagome, what the _hell," _Shippo jogged to catch up to his boss as she stomped through the shopping district. She was on the warpath again, which meant she would act recklessly if left alone. Trying his best to hide Kagome's face he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leading her to the car. "If you end up on the news again Inuyasha's going to kill us both! Calm down!"

She was quick to do so after hearing his words. Pressing her sunglasses against her face even in the dark, she let Shippo lead her down the street.

"Just where the hell do you think you were even going, anyway?"

"I need to get to Shibuya."

"Shibuya again?" Groaned Shippo. "No offense. How do I know you won't go pulling another insane stunt there? It's after dark, now, too. All of the kids'll be in and out of clubs."

"Because we're going to the NHK building."

* * *

He'd become more irritable than usual. He wouldn't last like this. 

It had been a while since Inuyasha had spoken to Kagome in person. Since their awkward voyeuristic encounter at her apartment it was difficult for the two of them to be alone. Even in talking on the phone there was now a sense of distance in their conversations.

Though the things they talked about were no different than before the image of Kagome, naked and panting Inuyasha's name remained vivid every time he heard her voice. Kagome knew this. She could sense it every time they'd spoken after the incident.

Sighing, Inuyasha rolled to his side as he lay in the center of the bed in his quiet bedroom. Faintly Kagome's voice hung in the background. His favorite song of hers, a ballad called _Monochrome Android,_ meandered from his bedroom speakers as he thought of her.

God, he loved this song. It was so difficult to sing. Kagome had a hard time singing it perfectly during live performances, but each time she did it was a testament to her tenacity and skill. In the rare instance that she missed a note, it became a testament as to how she still needed Inuyasha. He would express his disapproval, scold her, and she'd work harder next time.

The MTV Asia awards were next week. Rehearsals for Kagome's performance and award presentation with Hojo were going well. Two days later Inuyasha and Kagome would head to Las Vegas, where she would perform for some Sony executives at a party. This was in hopes of signing a recording deal with their American label. There was so much for Kagome to do in such a short period of time-- fortunately this amount of work wasn't anything new to her.

Usually Inuyasha loved this time. His job was easier when he was busy yelling at Kagome and pushing her forward into each obligation. Now, however, he was pensive about the upcoming ordeal. Would the uneasiness between them overshadow everything else?

"This sucks," he moaned. There was really nothing for him to do right now so he stewed in these thoughts. Restless, he stood and wandered into the hallway.

His feet had carried him to Kagome's guest room. No part of the hanyou protested as he slowly entered, sighing at the traces of her scent. He missed her. Sitting down slowly onto the bed he recalled the first time they shared a kiss here. She was sobbing so sweetly in his arms as she clung to him. The fact that the young woman looked so cute when she cried was what threw him off when she suddenly brought her lips to his. When neither of them pulled away it was as if a floodgate had opened between the two of them. Things had not returned to normal since. As vainly as he struggled to make things platonic between them, they became even more involved due to their lack of self-control.

Kagome's strongest trait was her ability to learn and adapt. As naturally as they seemed to come her talents had been earned through practice and hard work. She was second to none in that respect-- nobody could match her tenacity. The pop star had always jumped into things with blatant disregard for her health or fatigue. To her, consequences along the way were easily forgettable once she achieved her goals. It was amazing to Inuyasha, but also sad to watch in other aspects of her life. Lately it had become clear that Kagome dealt with love with the same recklessness. Unfortunately her approach wasn't working; she'd hurt herself more than anything.

Lying down on his side Inuyasha pulled a pillow to his chest, burrowing his face into it as he thought of her. Her scent was faint as he inhaled, closing his eyes with a blissful expression. He wanted to help her. Kagome was hurting; it was his job to ease her burdens. How could he do it? How could he soothe her unruliness, stopping her from jumping through these stupid hoops for Hojo and debasing herself when she was alone with him?

_She wouldn't be going this far if I'd just reciprocate. Or did she go this far because I did? _The original reason why Inuyasha had ever held back was out of respect to Kagome's relationship. Now she no longer behaved like a woman who was taken, and certainly not like someone in love. Whatever tied her to Hojo wasn't tied tightly enough.

Perhaps a little honesty _was _what Kagome needed. Regretting how he'd previously scolded her, Inuyasha decided to finally give her what she wanted.

* * *

"I'm sorry. I have no excuse for this, Hojo-san. Of all the things to go wrong I wouldn't have expected that the VTR would be without any videotape. I could have sworn it was ready when we started." The director of the commercial bowed with one hand behind his neck as he spoke, embarrassed about the whole situation. "We'll take a little break while all of the equipment is checked this time." 

Hojo couldn't wipe the worried look from his face. It was just his bad luck, he figured, that on the night Kagome called, angry, the need for a reshoot would arise.

His manager chimed in. "Please hurry. We all want to go home." Crossing her arms, Yuka left the room to buy a canned coffee.

In an empty hallway the heels of her pumps clicked against white linoleum at a leisurely pace. Locating the drink machine Yuka stopped, opening her change purse. The jingling of coins was soon drowned out by hurried footsteps from two pairs of shoes. Curious as to what the commotion was about the short-haired woman turned her head towards the sound, gasping at what she saw.

Yuka dropped her coin purse. "Hi-Higurashi-san?"

"Hayashi-san," Kagome answered in a low voice. "Where is he?" She didn't need to be told out loud. Yuka's worried glance towards a door at the end of the hall gave enough information.

"Higurashi-san, you can't just barge in there!"

"Kagome! Calm down, damn it!"

Without breaking her stride Kagome pointed to a red light next to the door. "The light's not on. Nobody's shooting a damned thing right now."

"Higurashi!" Running to catch up, Yuka grabbed Kagome's arm and yanked. "Please... please don't! Just leave him alone!"

"Ow, that hurt!" Surprised at the sudden use of force the pop star tried to shake herself from Yuka's grasp. "Let me go!"

"Ladies..."

"Higurashi, just fucking leave him alone for once! Let him work!" Yuka screamed. Tugging with all of her strength, she pulled Kagome to the ground and fell with her.

Shippo could only stare at the women on the floor. Hojo and a couple of crew members interrupted a few seconds of stunned silence as they barged into the hallway, curious about the commotion.

"Kagome? Yuka? What's going on?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Kagome snapped as she stood. "We agreed to meet tonight and you've got the damned nerve to stand me up again like it's no big deal?"

Stammering, Hojo looked around at everyone else. "That... can't be right... I told Yuka to tell Inuyasha to cancel because of the shoot..." Before he could continue, the director screamed, suddenly kneeling down in front of Yuka.

"Hey, you! What is this?" On the ground next to her lay a videotape covered in stickers reading, _Property of NHK_. He grabbed it, angrily waving the tape in front of Yuka's face. "What the hell are you doing with this?"

Hojo's manager was visibly trembling. With panic clearly in her movements she scooted to her feet. Mangled film fell from beneath her coat as she stood.

"Hojo-kun," Yuka managed.

"I'm sure this is a misunderstanding, right Yuka?" Hojo smiled, placing a hand on the director's shoulder to calm him.

"Your manager keeps NHK production footage in her jacket pocket? Who the hell even let her into the control room?"

Hojo's smile didn't waver. "I'm sure there's an explanation."

Kagome and Shippo looked at each other, and then back at Yuka.

Balling her fist, she finally spoke. "Everything... it's all my fault." Wiping tears from her face, she continued. "I... I absolutely despise Higurashi. I'm sorry. I've tried to deny it for so long but I can't. Hojo-kun, can't you see that she doesn't care about you as much as I do?"

"Hayashi-san, please don't speak like you know me," Kagome began to say.

"Shut up! Compare yourself to me. I spend every waking moment of my life juggling the details of his life for him-- where he's going to go, who he's going to talk to, what he's going to do. When we're not together I'm usually doing something for him if I'm not bathing, eating or sleeping."

"Of course," interrupted Shippo. "Because that's your friggin' _job_."

"Why do you think I _took_ the job, Genius? The moment I met him I knew I wanted to be near him as much as possible. You take him for granted, Higurashi. I guess it's because practically every man you interact with is beautiful or sexy."

"Yuka, please stop..." Hojo was afraid to come near her; unsure as to how she would react.

Placing her hands over her mouth, she hiccupped a few times, completely unable to stop her tears now. "Hojo-kun. I can't lie to you anymore! I never called to reschedule tonight's date. All of your ruined dates are... they were ruined because I interfered. Higurashi always steals our time together!"

Kagome gripped Shippo's arm tightly.

"I just wanted to be around you. Sometimes it was as easy as messing up a meeting time, but I knew that I'd be found out if that's all that ever happened. Once when I was desperate I ripped the film out of a camera at a photo shoot when nobody was looking. After that it became so easy to do-- an unplugged Triax cable, missing props..."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Kagome murmured beneath her breath.

"You made me feel happy to do things for you. Like my life wasn't worthless. You know what I love about you the most, Hojo-kun? You genuinely care about people. You're not perfect when you do, but you always try to make everyone happy." Yuka reached underneath her collar. With a strong tug a gold chain came off of her neck. "Even in this horrible situation you didn't jump to conclusions. You gave me a chance to talk, which was why I can't lie anymore. Not to you. You're so sincere about everything you do."

The shorthaired brunette took one of Kagome's hands, closing her fingers around a small, thick object. "This is rightfully yours."

Raising an eyebrow Kagome slowly opened her palm. In its center sat a gold band she'd never seen before, swathed in a diagonal arrangement of square-cut diamonds.

Hojo examined it in disbelief. He looked back at Yuka with a distressed face. "You _stole_ this, Yuka?"

"What is this?" Kagome looked at Hojo, and then at his manager. When she was not given an answer she looked back down at the ring.

Yuka could only manage to sob after that. Unable to speak anymore, she glanced at Hojo one last time before running away. Once the sound of her footsteps had faded Hojo finally spoke.

"This was your original engagement ring."

* * *

He didn't realize he'd fallen asleep. Inuyasha finally awakened to frantic sounds in his entryway, but the rhythm of the footsteps was familiar. 

"Kagome," he breathed. He didn't realize how badly he wanted to see her until she showed up. Just before the hanyou rushed to meet her he paused, remembering what he had decided before dozing off. He knew how he was going to greet her.

"Gross. My breath..."

Almost giddily, he dashed to the bathroom. He would make this perfect. Temporarily ignoring Kagome as she called for him, he hurriedly grabbed some mouthwash and rinsed a little. Before leaving the room he also checked his appearance in the mirror and sniffed, making sure he smelled okay.

"Inuyasha! I don't know what to think. You won't believe what happened." Kagome's footsteps were loud as she climbed the stairs and rushed towards his bedroom. "Inuyasha?"

As soon as she saw nobody there, she turned around, abruptly colliding with her manager's chest.

"It's been a while." Inuyasha steadied her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Y-yeah..." There was something strange in his tone and expression. For a moment she'd completely forgotten why she came over.

A moment was all he needed. With his left hand he cupped one side of her face, and with his right he caressed her cheek. Her expression was at first surprised and soon worried, but she did not move.

"Oh? Did... something happen?" His expression was so calm that she didn't know what to say to him.

He didn't answer. Both of his hands softly grasped either side of Kagome's face. Closing his eyes Inuyasha bent, kissing her gently. With wide eyes she looked at him, stunned at his serious face. He kissed her again. It didn't take long for her eyes to close and her arms to snake around his waist. She returned his kiss with quivering lips.

"Kagome," Inuyasha sighed before kissing her once more. His hands moved lower, pressing her to him as they met behind her back. "I wanted to see you."

She could feel her heart sinking as she continued to kiss him, but she couldn't bring herself to break away. Not now. For Inuyasha to initiate something like this, it must have taken a lot of resolve. _I don't deserve this,_ she lamented. Though she didn't know what to do, she knew exactly where she wanted to be.

* * *

**Notes:**

Eh. I feel like I fought through a lot of this chapter and it probably shows. I really want to revise it some more but it's been too long. Will consider it later. Figured it was best to put up the whole thing despite how unsatisfied I am with a couple of parts.

Tomorrow night I'll update the web site (www. pinku. net/fadeflare. Remove the spaces!) with a new drawing and notes for this chapter. Holy crap, I read that description I wrote about Shibuya for chapter 1-- am totally going to fix that as well, since it's not that informative. o.o;

Take care, you guys! As always, thank you for reading.


	13. 12: End and Beginning

Fade and Flare

Chapter 12

Inuyasha (at least the anime, anyway) is copyright Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Yomiuri Terebi, and Sunrise 2000

* * *

**Notes:** This is the completed version of chapter 12! To be honest, I personally wouldn't qualify anything that happens here as a lime, but just in case, heed the LIME WARNING. Notes at the end.

* * *

Kagome understood that she eventually had to mention the incident at the NHK building, but couldn't at the moment. It'd be bad form to talk about Hojo with Inuyasha's tongue in her mouth. As they kissed, perhaps Inuyasha had slowly nudged Kagome into his bedroom or maybe Kagome had unconsciously moved in that direction.

What kind of a jerk would Kagome be if she brought up the day's events while Inuyasha was busy kissing her shoulders or pulling her into the center of his bed with him? (Wow, she hadn't even noticed when he slipped off her coat.) Any mention of Yuka and Hojo at this moment would ruin the mood-- a big _faux pas_. The mouthwash she'd tasted moments before made her believe that Inuyasha had at least _considered_ the fact that in between wet kisses he would be exhaling so hotly over her lips like this. (Way to be prepared! Another reason why she'd never moved on to another manager.) It would be rude to go against his plans.

Neither had exchanged much in the way of words once Inuyasha initiated things. Beyond a few sighs and Kagome's soft giggling they hadn't spoken. Words were too cumbersome to bother with right now.

In a sea of red comforter Inuyasha lay on his side, and with one arm the hanyou cradled Kagome's head while his free hand lightly grasped her waist. With each nibble of her lips the palms of his clawed hands slid higher up along her belly, and more sighs filled the dim room. When the hanyou's fingertips finally met resistance, accidentally pressing into his companion's pliant breast, it was like a trigger. Wide-eyed, Inuyasha felt his cheeks growing hotter as he ravaged his companion's neck. His fingers moved instinctively, roving over her chest.

"Ah," Kagome breathed, pressing into his hand. One of her arms reached out, grabbing blindly for Inuyasha's nightstand. As she returned his kisses her fingertips dove into the top drawer and felt around, finally dragging a small packet into her palm. She slipped her hand out of the drawer, returning it to her side.

After a few seconds passed Inuyasha finally realized what she'd taken, unexpectedly turned on by Kagome's familiarity with his things-- her sheer familiarity with _him_. As she bucked against him the hanyou realized how much he needed to possess her. Gently taking Kagome's wrist, Inuyasha nudged her hand open. A sealed condom sat neatly in the center of her palm.

He froze, in consideration of what that really meant.

This wasn't what he wanted, he realized. Well yes, of course he wanted to do this with her, but not like _this_. Even if it was in name only at this point, she still belonged to another man. For perhaps the first time in his life the half-demon put himself in Hojo's shoes. How would he react to some guy screwing his girl? He'd hate the cowardly way they'd sneak behind his back, for starters. "If you don't want me anymore," he'd always told his lovers "Don't pretend. Just leave."

Though Inuyasha felt partly disappointed at Kagome for carrying on like this he couldn't blame her too much-- he'd decided to kiss her, after all. People slip. Inuyasha was convinced that Kagome's advances had become so blatant when they were alone because she didn't know what else to do. What could she do without contacting a PR team and making official statements? Breakups for people like her were never private affairs; tabloids helped to make sure of that. They could smell a scandal and in turn _your fear_ from miles away, and then they'd make sure the whole world knew about it afterwards.

_My God,_ he'd finally realized._ She's gonna leave him._ Maybe she'd leave him recklessly if left to her own devices. The second she'd decided to put her (beautifully writhing) naked body (with smooth skin and that endless black hair, oh _God!_) on display for Inuyasha was the second she'd doomed her relationship with that would-be fiancee. The hanyou wanted to kick himself for insisting that Kagome date Hojo in public. He regretted not confiding in even Miroku about what Kagome really felt.

Or what _he_ really felt.

_Fuck, how long am I gonna last? _Kagome was too important; things had to be done right or it'd be over.

"You okay?" His companion's interjection shot through his thoughts. The uncertainty hanging in her voice was actually quite reassuring.

Without a word Inuyasha picked up the condom that Kagome clutched and tossed it back into his open drawer. He then brought her fingers to his lips for a moment before releasing her hand all together. Wordlessly he pulled her body to his, hugging her tightly.

"Look, Kagome. I'm sorry. For, uh, for that in the hallway. For this. We can't do this..."

At first Kagome was unsure how to react. Her manager, in an act of level-headedness or stubbornness (she couldn't tell the difference sometimes), had shown restraint again.

"Oh. N-no, you're right. It's partly my fault, too." Eventually she slipped her arm around his waist, pulling herself closer to him and taking time to reflect on what nearly happened. "I've been dancing around a lot of things I need to handle, lately..."

This, she decided, would be the right time to talk about Hojo and Yuka.

* * *

"All right, one last time."

"Okay," answered Hojo and Kagome in unison.

"One full second after the cue," Kagome started, "I'm on the platform backstage. I ride to the top of the steps. Camera three's going to dolly in from the right so I turn towards it and head down the stairs..."

"And halfway down?" The director, a short middle-aged man with short spiky hair named Yamashita, looked expectantly at Hojo to continue while scratching under the collar of his black turtleneck shirt.

"Right. Halfway down I'll have come up from the bottom of the steps, and I wait. Uh, do I look at her?"

"Hm," Yamashita sucked in some air through his closed teeth. "Show me what you have in mind? Oh, no, that looks stiff. Let's not turn with your head like that, pivot on your toes a little and make sure your shoulders are facing her, too."

"Like this?"

"Great, looks great. Really natural."

"Yamashita-san, should I face him too?"

"Yeah, Higurashi-san, pretend like you're just meeting for a date. It'll be cute. Oh! Hold his arm as you head to the podium, too."

Rocking back and forth in an audience seat alongside Yuka, Inuyasha sat with his arms folded. Maybe he was the only one in the building who saw Kagome's expression harden at the mention of a date. As he watched Kagome's well-practiced television smile he sighed, leaning back for a minute.

The memory of her face as he kissed her several nights ago made her current expression onstage look that much more strained to him. Meanwhile, Yama-whatshisname? That jerkoff director and his overpaid stage crew were clapping like monkeys at how beautiful Kagome was. _Suckers,_ laughed Inuyasha inwardly. If she would look at a camera the way she'd looked at him as she lay sighing in his bed, casting agents would come banging at her door.

"That look is for my eyes only," he mumbled softly, as if making a wish. When Kagome described what happened at NHK Inuyasha reacted poorly. It turned what developed between them in recent months into a very sick joke. Hojo was now unstoppably cheerful, his obliviousness now more potent than ever. The poor fool thought he was off the hook.

One couldn't blame him for it. _That _was the problem. Meanwhile Kagome was acting with less and less control, and all Inuyasha could do was push her into working while trying to think of some way to help her. With a heavy sigh the hanyou closed his eyes.

"What did you say, Inuyasha-san?"

"Wha?"

"Never mind. This is pretty exciting, isn't it?"

Not bothering to open his eyes, Inuyasha bared his fangs a little bit. He didn't know whether or not he wanted to thank Yuka or rip out her throat for messing with Kagome's relationship. It didn't change the fact that he thought she was conniving and annoying. At the moment he was angrier that she'd yanked him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, I guess. If I were you I'd be more excited about getting to keep my job." He hoped her silence meant that she'd move to sit somewhere else.

"You're in no place to talk to me like that."

Snorting, Inuyasha sat up. "Keh! This from the liar and thief."

"Oh, that's _funny,_" spat Yuka as she stood. "Yeah, that's _real _funny coming from you. If things would have gone my way you'd have gotten what you wanted."

"What the hell, now she's delusional. Get out of my face before I decide to rip yours _off_, Bitch!"

"Don't give me that garbage. Any idiot can see how badly you wanna fuck Higurashi, so who's the liar? Imagine if you got into those little white panties of hers-- you'd be a thief, just like me."

_They're pink._

"Vulgar little bitch," hissed the hanyou as he began to stand. The gesture was all Yuka needed to start moving away, but her smirk stayed in place.

"We're exactly the same."

"Bullshit. Kagome's actually _interested_ in _me_."

_Shit, shit! _He let himself get carried away.

Yuka paused, a little thrown by his words. Without answering she finally walked away, seating herself in another section.

The hanyou sighed, throwing his head in his hands. Something vibrated in his pocket. Thankful for the interruption this time Inuyasha retrieved the culprit-- his cell phone-- and answered without bothering to check the caller ID.

"Whaddya' want?"

"Nice to hear from you too, you big jerk," laughed Sango.

A soft humming motor in the background indicated that she was in a car. "Keh," replied Inuyasha, "It ain't safe to drive while on the phone. Pull over, Idiot."

The stylist laughed again. "Shippo's driving. So we're on for tomorrow morning, right? We meet at Kagome's house to finalize her outfits, say, nine o' clock?"

"Yeah, good. Before then I'm gonna take her to eat somewhere. It'll be real quick."

"Got it. Ooh, I've got some cool stuff!"

"O...kay."

"See ya!" Sango hung up.

"Damned girls and their clothes," the half demon chuckled.

* * *

"After all this time, to think we'd never worked together before..." mused Hojo, as he leaned against a table in a break room. "Kagome, you know what I realized?"

"Hm?" In one corner of the room, she rehearsed her dance moves.

"We should have thought of this before-- if we work on the same projects we can spend more time together! I'm going to talk to Sayuri-san about getting some commercial shoots with you."

Kagome's steps faltered. Just like that, he'd decided to talk to his agent?

"Sorry... concentrating, didn't hear you." She'd lied. The idea of forcing Inuyasha to deal with Hojo on a constant basis in a work environment simply didn't sit well. Immediately she imagined her manager's rampant screaming and hands around Hojo's neck while the director, camera crew, or some poor unsuspecting interns would try their best to pull the two men apart.

"Oh. No problem, I'll leave you to it," Hojo startled her with a hug then, causing her to jump a little.

"Get off," she almost yelled, slipping out of his embrace. His stunned eyes looked into hers, searching her face for an answer to her sudden outburst. She was surprised at her gut reaction, blinking at her sudden mood swing. Composing herself, she put a hand on Hojo's arm.

"I'm sorry," he managed, before Kagome could say the same. "Wow, I understand why everyone praises your work ethic. I think I'm a little jealous at how dedicated you are."

"Right... No, sorry for snapping. I was... concentrating. Look, I'm gonna go see if we're up for stage rehearsal yet, I'll talk to you later."

She didn't give him time to answer, suddenly running out the door. Thankfully an intern _had_ been on the way to get her, and they met in a walkway.

Dance moves that should have been a second nature by now to Kagome, as she'd been performing variations of them for weeks on other shows, nearly escaped her. She fought, trying her best to concentrate on stepping and turning and the twist of her waist. Barely hanging onto the choreography, she pushed other thoughts out of her mind.

_"If we work on the same projects..."_ How dare he! It's not like she could include him in her music just so they could spend time together. Would he make cameos in her videos from now on? Would she have to shift her focus to commercials just to work with him? What the hell would he expect?

_How can he decide that so suddenly? Did he manage to completely ignore that I'll be pushing my music overseas?_ She hoped he wasn't serious about it.

"Like I'd give that up," she mumbled, twirling angrily. Now she was upset. He'd been told that she chose her career over Hideto, once upon a time. Did he forget how much she enjoyed toiling at her piano, and how hard she had to work to make sure she could still get paid to do so?

She felt an exhale catch in her chest, and suddenly felt a tear or two coming; it caught her off guard. With a gasp the young woman remembered how many eyes were on her at the moment and panicked, moving a few beats too fast to compensate for timing she thought she'd lost.

Apparently her feet were not ready for the change. As quickly as she tried to recover she fell, twisting an ankle as she sped towards the ground.

"Higurashi-san!" A handful of the crew ran to surround her, but scattered as Inuyasha rushed to her side.

"Kagome! Shit!"

"I'm okay, really." The injured young woman tried to prove it by standing, but quickly sank back to the ground when her ankle started to sting. Her eyes went wide when a rush of unexpected pain surged through her leg, and couldn't help but cry out a little.

Growling, the hanyou pulled out his cell phone and dialed. He handed the phone to Kagome. "Call your doctor while I take care of you." He bent to collect her in his arms, heading towards an exit.

--

"I'm so sorry about this," Kagome was near tears as she spoke to Yamashita, "I wasn't careful, so things turned out like this."

"Higurashi-san, you're so hard on yourself. We were all there; we know it was an accident. I'm glad you'll at least be able to walk enough to present an award."

"Yes, if I didn't have to worry about traveling the day after the show I'd just forego the dancing and sing anyway. I really want to..."

"It wouldn't be hard to change the shots for a performance where you're stationary, but... to be honest I'm not about to risk the wrath of your manager and let that happen," the old man laughed. "See you tomorrow night."

"Yes. Thanks so much for your understanding." Sighing, Kagome hung up and glanced around the treatment area. He was too polite to say it, but he saw how troubled she was during rehearsals. He and she both knew that she wasn't up to performing. In the corner of the room stood Miroku, on the phone with MTV representatives to negotiate her change in services. She felt a pang of guilt as she watched him, but was grateful he was around in a situation like this.

A hand startled her as it grabbed the top of her head, mussing her bangs around. Inuyasha. Ashamed to look him in the eyes for too long, Kagome stared down at her bandaged ankle. "I'm sorry I was so sloppy," she sighed.

"What happened up there?"

"I... I don't know. It wasn't even a difficult move, you know?"

"Mmm." There was something she didn't want to say. The hanyou didn't think yelling at her would make her talk, though. In an effort to rid himself of his frustration he squeezed her hand.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to do music more than commercial shoots."

"Okay..." The confusion on his face was clear but he decided not to pry-- there was relief in her voice as she spoke. "I... know?" he added, still baffled.

Squeezing his hand in reply, Kagome smiled widely.

* * *

Sometimes it was a pain to find a good area in Tokyo that didn't fall asleep once the trains stopped running for the night. After Inuyasha dropped her off at home Kagome felt a bit hungry, or bored, or perhaps some combination of the two. There wasn't much in her refrigerator that looked appealing to eat (and who knows if any of it was even edible anymore) so on a whim she found the keys to her white Peugeot, deciding to take a drive.

It wasn't so late that the streets were completely empty (Could they ever really be in a city where 65 million people lived?). Kagome enjoyed the less congested streets though, singing along with her car stereo as she drove from district to district. For the first time in months, for at least a few hours tonight her time was truly hers. As she slightly opened a couple of windows she took a deep breath, appreciating the damp scent of night air as it whipped across her cheeks.

She wouldn't be driving for much longer after that. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a familiar blue neon sign-- Orion. She must have been in Ginza now. Orion was a high-class haven for Tokyo's elite: An exclusive bar and lounge where top executives, celebrities, the super-rich, or anyone who could afford the cover fee sat for a while to have a drink and relax. Hideto had taken her to Orion for the first time, days after her twentieth birthday. Since then she'd come back at least once or twice a year.

_They have some food._ Now that most businesses in the area were closed parking wasn't a hassle. Kagome easily found a spot to park her car before heading towards a familiar high-rise. As she entered its dim lobby she stood in front of an elevator, examining the directory. She scanned a list for Orion's peacock blue logo.

--

"Fourteenth floor." An automated female voice chirped, and the pair of steel elevator doors opened, revealing a tinted glass door embossed with the Orion logo. Slightly smiling Kagome stepped out of the elevator and entered. She immediately met a host behind a reception booth who bowed to her in greeting.

"Welcome. May I have your name, please?"

This was clearly a formality. The pop star noticed a large grin on his face as he waited for her answer. Reaching into her purse she retrieved a wad of 10,000-yen bills, getting ready to pay the cover.

"Higurashi Kagome."

He must have been a man easily in his mid-twenties-- her age. He was cute! In black slacks and a black button-up shirt he retrieved a menu and bowed deeply to her. Kagome admired the silver stud piercings along his right ear and his wispy bleached hair. "Your cover fee will be waived tonight. What kind of seat would you like?"

_Now that I can easily afford it I don't have to pay it. Figures. _She smiled. "A bar seat would be just fine."

"Of course. Please come this way."

Shoving her money back into her purse she followed the host through a pair of automated glass doors that opened to a large space, littered with small blue and white lights. Its high black ceiling was dotted with fiber optic white lights in the configuration of stars from a summer night sky. The constellation for Orion was highlighted with slightly brighter lights.

Small groups of men wearing shirts and ties from work, individuals and pairs in just jeans and sweaters, and the occasional overdressed woman in a gown or cocktail dress (it was easy to tell when someone was here for their first time; Kagome had overdressed for her first trip too) sat and conversed in large booths with black leather seats.

As soon as Kagome took a sandaled step onto the black marble floor of the lounge area, not at all mindful of her messy ponytail, t-shirt, and white cropped pants, all of the wait staff greeted her in perfect unison with deep bows. "Welcome," they said in friendly, voluble voices before returning to their various tasks. She moved steadily behind the host, trying to hide the fact that she had to limp.

This really was a nice break from the rest of the world. Beyond a couple of suppressed yet excited stares from the obvious first-timers nobody paid her any mind. A mutual kinship was shared between Orion's regular clientele; each patron had the same faith in knowledge that this was a place to come for a peaceful night out. Security was hired to keep Paparazzi and the like away from the premises.

The cute host gestured towards a corner seat at the bar. "Is this acceptable?"

"Yes, thank you." As Kagome climbed onto the swiveling bar chair a waitress in a black skirt, sleeveless shirt, and black apron appeared next to her. Taking the menu from the host she set it open in front of the pop star along with a small basket of silverware, polished wood chopsticks and rest, two coasters for drinks, and a folded black silk napkin. The host made quick work of setting a monogrammed wine glass on one coaster and filling it with sparkling water, while the waitress retrieved a hot towel from a basket with tongs, handing the blue square of cloth to Kagome.

The host parted with one shorter bow, and the waitress stood holding a platter, waiting for Kagome to wipe her face and hands. When the towel was discarded on the platter the waitress gave a curt bow and handed her a blue rose before she left. "Please take your time."

"Excuse me," Kagome called to a nearby bartender, tapping the flower to her nose. "Umeshu and soda, please." He nodded in acknowledgement and reached for a glass. She finally sighed, resting one cheek in her hand while flipping through the menu.

_Anonymity is so damned expensive;_ she wanted to say to someone. Thoughts of Inuyasha's lips against hers flashed in her mind, as she sipped her water. Without seemingly all of Japan's eyes on her she was sure they'd have long since been an item.

_Without this job, though, I'd never know him,_ she added grimly, deciding what to order.

"Plum sake and soda," said the bartended suddenly as he deposited her drink on the unoccupied coaster.

"Thank you."

Tasting her drink, Kagome barely registered multiple calls of "Welcome!" as she pushed a button to call a waitress. After ordering some sizzling beef with kimchi and a strawberry parfait (she wanted the parfait first) she felt the presence of someone standing near her. Almost forming a frown Kagome swiveled around on her chair.

"Hey Girl!"

"Kumi-chan?" Kagome's jaw dropped. "It's been so long! Sit with me!"

A fellow chart-topping pop star, Kouda Kumi dove forward to hug Kagome, who couldn't wipe the smile off of her face. The slim, short woman in a black mini skirt and giant gray sweater hopped up onto the chair next to Kagome, spinning to face her friend while the waitress and host gave her table settings. She kept the hot towel with her.

"How are you, Kumi-chan?"

"Starving!" she laughed. "I've been crazy dieting for months for that damn awards show. Came over here for liquid nourishment."

"Tsk tsk," chided Kagome. "Alcohol will give you a belly, you know. Might as well just eat."

"Hey! I plan on ordering tea. After the show tomorrow The Manager's taking me to get some oden!"

"Ooh, lucky! I love oden!"

"I can't wait."

Kumi motioned to the bartender, ordering glasses of iced oolong, mint, and green tea. Once she received them Kagome was also served her parfait.

"God, why did I sit by you? I'm so jealous!"

Giggling, Kagome offered Kumi a bite, which was quickly declined. "You don't need this diet, you know. I remember back before you did things like this and you were gorgeous! You still are, of course, but I was so jealous of how your thighs looked."

"Serious?" Kumi sipped her green tea. "I don't believe I'm hearing this-- you have the most perfect legs ever. Damn, why do you get to eat a parfait?"

"Inuyasha won't let me diet like that. He says I'm as skinny as I need to be, can you believe it?"

Dipping a fingertip into Kagome's whipped cream Kumi tasted it. "I could, actually. I tried to set him up with someone once and he called her 'a wiry bitch like me.' If you ask me I think he likes a little hint of muscle. Like what you've got. That last chick he was with had something similar to what you've got going on, you know?"

"Yeah, I remember her. Hey, but _I_ like a little hint of muscle so that's more important. If I could just get my thighs to look like yours I'd be perfect! Screw what The Puppy thinks," Kagome laughed, but her face remained thoughtful as she ate her parfait.

At the cost of an hour and a half of cardio (mostly dancing) six days a week plus weight training three days a week she'd used her looks to sell cosmetics, shampoo, fleece sweaters, and of course albums. Piles of fan letters she'd read over the years were loaded with praise about how beautiful her fans thought she was.

Even back in high school Kagome was not the type to feel insecure about her looks. Despite this, nearly a decade later during adulthood, at a time when petty insecurities from hormonally imbalanced teenage years were trivial, she was complaining about her thighs. Though she knew her features were enviable (you can't sell cosmetics and somehow be oblivious to this) her job made her the natural target of every type of scrutiny imaginable, especially where her looks were concerned. Kagome had even once read about someone's written plans to boycott the cosmetics she endorsed until she had a small mole on her shoulder surgically removed!

Neither woman would say it aloud but it was pretty obvious that Kumi's diet was harsh-- she'd spent a couple of months literally starving because of this awards show. What was worse was how acceptable it was by their peers. Forget the fact that years later if Kumi ever decided to, oh y'know, _eat _she'd just get fat.

_Ha ha, but looks are the same as job security._

"So... we're gonna be at the same awards show but the only three Japanese guests there haven't seen each other at rehearsals. How sad," Kumi mock-lamented. "I heard that you're only going to present now, too! Is that true? Why aren't you performing?"

"Ha ha, because we both know the MTV Asia awards don't count! MTV Japan, however..."

The pair laughed a little.

"The truth is I twisted my ankle during rehearsal. Just a light sprain." Kagome gestured towards her ankle brace and Kumi regarded it with a look of concern etched deeply onto her face. "The doctor says if I want any hope of being able to dance on it in a couple of days I have to be careful. I'm actually supposed to just stay home and rest right now."

"You're gonna dance on it? Don't make the injury worse! No, no wait, what's going on in a couple of days? What's more important than an awards show that I don't know about? Sweetie, your life sounds positively crazy."

"Yes, I'm... a little bogged down at the moment. We're going to America the day after tomorrow, and I get to show off my English demo," Kagome sighed, sipping her drink. "I sing while stepping back and forth and wiggling my hips a little. Nothing complex." Underneath her breath she mumbled, "Thanks to someone at rehearsal..."

Kumi raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Well at least it seems like you and The Boy are getting along well now?"

Kagome's eyebrows furrowed.

Noticing the troubled look on Kagome's face, she patted her friend's hand. "I'm going to spank you if that sad face has anything to do with him. I saw the news a while back, but I thought things were fine now? Uh, look, I didn't mean to bring something bad up, I'm sorry."

"Damn them! For just this one thing I wish those bastards would mind their own damned business. You know, if it weren't for this ridiculous 'Platinum Pair' crap I'd--"

"You'd...?"

Suddenly Kagome froze. "Uh... S-sorry. I just realized, I don't think I've ever admitted this aloud before." As the words tried to form in her mouth she found herself trembling. The young woman gripped the edge of the bar tightly, as if she'd suddenly fall to her death for letting go.

"Oh my God, wait. You and The Boyfriend okay? No, wait, never mind. It's totally not my right to pry."

"No, it's okay. Inuyasha and I... just the two of us are going to America. We don't want to bring an entourage and publicize it until we get some definite interest, so..."

Kumi blinked. "'Kay... think I'm missing something here. So Hojo-kun's somehow not happy with this or what? Are things that bad between you?"

Sighing, Kagome pulled her friend closer, whispering into her ear. The young woman in gray gasped softly, placing her manicured hands over her mouth.

"I wouldn't have guessed," exhaled Kumi.

Leaning close to her friend as she continued to speak, Kagome told as much as she could. In hushed voices the women conversed and with every bit of truth she revealed Kagome began to feel at ease. Once the beef dish arrived the women shared it, taking turns browning sizzling strips of meat on a hot metal platter as they talked.

"I don't believe I ate that," lamented Kumi, after the conversation lightened a bit. "You've corrupted my diet!"

"Don't worry," Kagome laughed. "A little bit of meat won't destroy all the work you've done. An entire cow, on the other hand..."

Kumi laughed, too. "S'okay, my tummy feels really happy right now! So I'm gonna grant you a wish. Uh... call me if you need anything. _Anything,_"

"Aww, thank you, Kumi-chan. It means a lot."

"Really. I mean it. If I can help you in some way I want you to call."

With a smile and a nod, Kagome chewed on a piece of kimchi.

* * *

Kagome sighed. "You know, the worst part about all of this is that you've probably brought the most amazing stuff ever this time."

"And yet you hate it. Everything? Really?"

"Yes and no." Kagome picked up a long white silk and taffeta gown with an empire waist. "This cut? This is gorgeous. I can already tell it'd look great. It's so classically beautiful and timeless... and that's why I want to puke."

Exhaling with relief, Sango collected the array of white and cream colored dresses splayed across Kagome's bed. "I was about to cry for a second there, but now that I know what's going on it's not so bad. Next time tell me before I go shopping!"

Plopping down on her mattress Kagome stared up at the ceiling. "Yeah, I'm sorry. Not trying to be cute, but... I've been feeling a little _vanilla_ lately."

While zipping and unzipping garment bags Sango could only mutter a sound of acknowledgement.

Kagome pouted a little bit. "Did you hear me?"

Sango retrieved what she'd been looking for. "Yes," she answered with authority. "I imagine too much white in a wardrobe would _do_ that to someone. By the way, talked to your friend Ayumi lately?"

The pop star stared at the dress Sango'd set down.

"Oh my God."

"So... talked to her?"

"No. Is this...?"

"Yeah, this is that dress I mentioned to you a while back." Straightening out the dress' fabric the stylist continued. "She told me it was her favorite piece from the collection she made for her senior thesis."

"Oh God, she already finished school? Last time I talked to her it seemed like she was just _getting into_ that fashion design program. I'm a horrible friend!"

"I think she'll understand," laughed Sango. "Before she sent it over she told me on the phone that your indie days were the inspiration for the whole collection and that she was sure there wasn't an appropriate time for you to wear this anymore. I couldn't believe it!"

"Believe it," Kagome chuckled. "I'll show you my first album cover sometime."

"Yes, please do, I'm completely curious now! I have to admit, I'd never listened to your old stuff. Just assumed it was poppy."

"Yeah. A lot of my fans from back then were pretty betrayed, but things only happened this way because of something I did on a whim..."

* * *

_Once the door to the elevator closed Kagome knew she wasn't safe. Her hands trembled as she pressed the button for the lobby and stared at the ground. The jolt of the elevator's descent pushed her to speak._

_"I can't help it if they won't even watch the video."_

_"No, no, it's my fault for stupidly working for you. I should have remembered how completely fucking retarded you are when you're trying to plug yourself. Fuck!" Balling his fist, Inuyasha swung his arm out to his right, pounding on the side of the wall. With wide eyes Kagome gasped, almost swearing she'd seen a shock wave come from beneath his fist._

_When the lights flickered and the elevator's alarm sounded Kagome was sure of what she'd seen._

_At first, the pair didn't speak. Kagome was the first to act, completely unenthusiastic about being stuck in a confined area with an angry youkai any longer than she had to be. The flustered girl pressed the emergency alarm, and then pushed a button beneath what looked like an intercom. "Hello? Hello..."_

_"Hi, we just noticed that your car wasn't working." _

_Shocked that they'd received such a quick response, Kagome smiled at Inuyasha (and quickly looked away; he still looked irritated). "Th-that's right."_

_"Okay," the intercom answered. "We're calling someone from maintenance right now. If we can get him over there right away you'll only be looking at one, two hours tops."_

_"One to two hours? Wait, we have to wait here for--"_

_"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?" Gripping her shoulders Inuyasha literally picked up Kagome, moving her to one side before screaming into the intercom. "How is a two hour wait acceptable at all? Get us the FUCK out of here NOW!"_

_The hanyou was answered with silence at first. Meanwhile, Inuyasha and Kagome did all they could to prevent their eyes from meeting._

_"Looks like you're going to have to wait another hour, actually. The maintenance worker is out to lunch." He sounded like he was smirking._

_A garbled scream escaped from Inuyasha's throat. Swinging his fist back, he was about to send it through the Intercom before Kagome pulled on it, gripping his forearm desperately with both of her hands._

_"Don't! That's how we got into this mess in the first place, damn it!" When she was answered with a wild stare, she was sure she'd die. Inuyasha was going to kill her, and she'd be a red stain on the elevator wall. He gripped her shoulders, breathing loudly._

This is it. I'm through. Mama, Jii-chan, I love you! Souta... take care of them, you little brat! Here I go... _"You know, as my manager you're supposed to help me out with getting people to listen to my songs."_

_"What?"_

_"And what the heck were you doing when that perverted, decrepit, old man was staring at my chest, by the way? Playing with your balls? Now you've got us trapped in here. I don't think I'd recommend your services to my worst enemy-- oh wait, isn't that you? I take it back, then. I guess I'd make an exception and recommend you to you." Any second now she'd feel those claws through her neck. She'd at least die with one less regret._

_"You... you..."_

_"What the heck am I paying you for? Aaah!" His arm hooked around her waist, and with one quick and forceful jump _through _the panel in the ceiling they were suddenly standing on the elevator car. Inuyasha looked up, spotted the entrance to the nearest floor, jumped to it, and landed, issuing a roundhouse kick to a set of double doors._

_Releasing Kagome, they nonchalantly crossed whatever floor they were on, in search of the stairs, walking past a few astonished onlookers._

_"Why can't you--"_

_"Just shut up. Say another word and I'll--"_

_"SORRY. THAT WAS AWESOME. I mean it. I was gonna say, why can't you treat my career like that?"_

_She was answered with a growl. "Thought I told you to shut up. Stupid bitch..."_

_There wasn't much left of Kagome's patience after eleven flights of stairs. The two of them were deposited on the second floor (should have taken the fire stairs...), and as Kagome stalked behind Inuyasha the last of her patience was finally tried by a voice in C sharp._

_She'd heard faint bits of the conversation as she walked. A man asked for a C, a woman answered in C sharp. Lather, rinse, repeat. The piano player in the room resorted to playing _Chopsticks_ as the would-be vocalist tried to get it right._

_"Wait," was all Kagome said, as she turned around, practically stomping into the room with the tone-deaf vocalist._

_Inuyasha almost didn't notice if not for the sudden lack of footsteps sounding behind him. "What the hell," he muttered as he followed Kagome's scent into the large room._

_"...and I can't believe this is the same company that wouldn't listen to my demo!" Pushing the pianist aside, Kagome glared at a woman she'd never met before. "C!" she punctuated, as she played it on the piano. "C," she sang in C, accompanying her vocals with a quick couple of chords._

_"Wha-- what the hell are you doing?" screamed Inuyasha, dragging Kagome away. "I'm sorry about this," he mumbled._

_"No, please wait." A man, maybe in his forties, said as he stood in light gray slacks._

--

_"I'm not so sure about this."_

_Tracing her finger over her knee as Inuyasha drove out of the parking garage Kagome idly stared at her black fingernails. She couldn't wait to get home out of her leather pants and take a bubble bath._

_"Well if you don't want it, don't take it."_

_"It's just... I'm a rock singer, you know?"_

_Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha turned the car sharply. "A commercial jingle is a paycheck. Nothing more."_

_"I guess you're right. Look at me, complaining about getting paid to sing. How ridiculous is that?"_

_For the first time that day the half demon and young lady did their equivalent to sharing a laugh: Inuyasha smirked and Kagome giggled softly as they jetted through the side streets of Roppongi in his red Toyota Corona, setting a tone for the following five years._

* * *

In only one and a half hours she'd be walking arm in arm with Hojo along a red carpet towards the entrance of Tokyo Bay NK Hall. In two and a half hours they'd be backstage, waiting for their cues. All of their efforts in recent weeks would finally result in less than ten minutes onstage, broadcasted live via satellite throughout Southeast Asia, and as quickly as it came it'd be over.

_Like a gunshot,_ Kagome noted, rolling her eyes at nobody in particular while Sango frantically pinned a black silk rose into her hair. The stylist blinked.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Huh? No, no. Just thinking."

"'Kay. Hold still. Time to do your face."

For the first time since her major label debut there was a knot in Kagome's stomach. Her hands sweated a little when she balled her fists, praying to anyone that she wouldn't tremble on camera. She wasn't worried about missing cues but the prospect of this live broadcasted event was still a little terrifying. For any event a small pang of worry always existed. Would she, or would she not be received well? Tonight Kagome worried about what people would think of her without the trademark white dress, so much so that the inclination to dive back into the safety of white chiffon and an empire waistline was strong. This petty aspect of her job was more nerve-wracking than it was fun at times. What stopped her in the end was her own overwhelming desire to break her formula. She needed this. Deep down she believed in it.

"Where's Inuyasha? Won't the limo be here soon?"

Rolling her eyes Sango mixed some foundation on her hand before applying the liquid in soft dabs onto Kagome's cheeks and chin. With well-practiced ease she blended it into her friend's skin.

"He called screaming about how he won't go anywhere near 'that crazy bitch Hayashi'. You'll see him backstage."

"Oh dear."

"Yeah, that's what I said," Sango laughed, dragging the tip of a small brush through some lip color. "He told me about their little pissing contest at rehearsal."

"Oh?" Kagome managed before raising her chin. Suddenly uncomfortable, she drummed her fingertips nervously on her lap. She too heard about the things Yuka had said. Kagome could only assume that Sango's casual tone of voice meant that she'd heard an abridged version of that conversation, but was still unsure and waiting to be proven right.

With quick swipes Sango applied the lipstick, a dark burgundy, and covered Kagome's lips with a high-shine gloss to finish. "Yeah, who knows what she said but he was pretty riled up when he talked about her. So he and Shippo are coming separately."

_What a relief._ "That stubborn brat," she mumbled nervously.

* * *

Hojo could find nothing to say when he saw Kagome's dress. His jaw only hung open.

Once she stepped onto the red carpet, her fans had screamed. It was too hard to tell whether the screams were of horror or delight, and judging from the rush of interviewers and storm of flash bulbs she still couldn't tell. At the very least, she was able to answer the most important question one can answer on a red carpet.

"Who are you wearing?"

"Ueno Ayumi." Gripping Hojo's arm like a life preserver, she smiled, hoping she didn't damn her dear friend's career.

When Inuyasha saw the dress, he could find nothing to punch. Instead, a scream of indignance wrangled its way out of the half demon's throat as his fists waved angrily in the air. Not even bothering to watch the progress of the show on a nearby monitor Kagome was seated in a chair, applying a cold compress to her ankle.

"NO. No way! Where the fuck is Sango, I'm gonna kill her!"

"What the hell is wrong with you, Inuyasha, this is how I always used to dress!"

"Yes, before you were broadcasted internationally! Shit!" It was too much. He wasn't okay with what the dress emphasized on Kagome's body. Every part he didn't want people to notice was put on display. She was an absolute demon in that dress-- a delicious, sexy, she-beast with breasts bursting out of a matte black silk bodice, wearing a layer each of sheer black taffeta and netting as her skirt. Her legs, in shiny black stockings, jutted out for miles. "I don't even _know_ you anymore! For fuck's sake we can see your panties underneath! What the hell, is that a fucking garter belt too? Fuck! I don't even know what people will say about you after this! Damn it to hell, I told you to quit hanging around that fucking Kouda bitch. I bet she put you up to this..."

"That's totally inappropriate! Kumi-chan has nothing to do with this!" From behind crossed arms Kagome yelled back. "You're _supposed_ to see through it. These are NOT my panties, they are _short pants_." She had to admit; it was hard to suppress a smile as Inuyasha turned to hit his head against a wall. It'd been a while since she'd seen him fuss so much, and it was enough to take the edge off of her nervousness.

"It's way too provocative! It's too sexy, damn it!"

"Oh, so you admit it?"

Inuyasha paused, momentarily disarmed. "Wha?"

The young woman stood and nudged Inuyasha into the wall using her belly, speaking with her hands on her hips. "You think I'm sexy," she breathed in a low, husky voice. As Kagome reached for a pair of crutches and left the room, she cackled at her manager's stunned silence.

* * *

"And now, presenting the award for _Favorite Rock Act_ are... Japan's own Platinum Pair, Higurashi Kagome and Hojo!"

Kagome frowned at the moniker.

There was that annoying sensation again. Her hands trembled as she stood on a small platform in the dark. During her ascent, white fog and light from the stage filtered in from up above. She tried not to face it, remembering instead to keep her head level and pointed in the direction that the camera would be facing. Her stomach felt like it was spinning as precious seconds in the relative safety of the dark were running out. Lights suddenly flashed, and the music she'd heard playing as she was making her entrance got louder.

She stared out at the vast blackness of an audience of fans and peers. Kagome could see the people in the immediate vicinity of the stage jumping and applauding, with eyes on her. The surprise on many of their faces was enough to confirm the sudden burst of screaming she'd heard.

As an energetic techno beat continued to pulse through the venue, lights flashing in time with the rhythm, she remembered her smile and remembered to sashay down the stairs, eyes meeting with Hojo as she dare not look away from him. For the first time in recent memory it was a relief to see him as she grabbed his arm, perhaps a little too tightly, using him as support as she tried not to limp to a glass podium with two microphones attached. The noise from the screaming grew louder than ever once she let go of Hojo's arm and placed her hands on the surface of the podium, reaching for an envelope. The people she'd originally observed when she first came to the stage were rowdier than ever, Kagome realized, as she opened her mouth to speak in English.

"_Are we having a great time tonight, or what?_"

She didn't think that the screaming would get any louder, but the crowd managed somehow.

"_Look at this dress! Doesn't my fiancee look amazing tonight, everyone?_" Hojo's English wasn't as fluid as Kagome's, but it was reasonably easy to understand.

_Oh my GOD, he did not just say that!_

The same screaming somehow intensified yet again, and Kagome's hands instinctively moved to cover her mouth in shock. He'd ignored the cue cards and let his mouth run. She feared for his safety once they'd get backstage again, and wondered what Inuyasha was saying right now. Kagome tried her best to divert attention away from what he'd said.

"_Well, since we're presenting the Favorite Rock Act award, I wanted to be in the spirit of things!_"

The host, a Chinese pop star named Wang Leehom, exaggerated a jaw drop as he reacted to the audience's cheering. Though he wasn't supposed to speak during the segment, it seemed as if he couldn't control himself. "_Wait a minute, wait a minute, did everybody hear that right? You two are engaged? Is that what he said?_"

"_Yes!_" Answered Hojo, who placed an arm around Kagome's shoulder.

"_Well, congratulations! Wow, you guys heard it here first, huh?_"

_Oh, God._ _Yamashita-san must be having a heart attack,_ Kagome mourned as she bowed her head low, staring down at her throbbing ankle. Not only did they practically derail the actual award presentation, they stole the spotlight from the award winners. The winning group should have been announced and called to the stage by now. Kagome almost expected a sudden cut to a commercial break, but when she realized it would not happen, she decided to do some more damage control.

"_Well enough about us! The nominees for Favorite Rock Act are..._"

--

"That went over well," chuckled Hojo as he watched an intern rush to Kagome's side with a pair of crutches.

"Okay, you know what?" Kagome looked to the intern, a slim man about her age with dark, spiky hair. "Is that break room empty?"

"Yes," he answered, raising an eyebrow.

"Hojo, Sweetie, come here." Kagome headed into the empty room and motioned at Hojo to follow her, smiling.

"Sure." Once he entered Kagome closed the door behind her, locking it.

Knowing that she only had a little bit of time until Inuyasha would come looking for her, she seated herself on a brown leather couch, patting the seat next to her until Hojo joined her.

"What's going on," he asked, glancing at the awards show on a television.

"_Why on earth_ did you just casually mumble about our engagement on live television?"

Blinking, Hojo diverted his gaze to Kagome, suddenly realizing that she was angry. "I... I just kinda thought that you were trying to cause some sort of uproar... because you wore a dress like that tonight."

"...What?"

"It seemed okay to say it! We've been trying to show everyone how well we're getting along lately, so I figured this was the next natural progression. I thought that maybe what you were doing was a publicity stunt because you've got a single out, so I decided I would help."

She rubbed her forehead with her fingertips, sighing loudly. "YOU are not my PR team. And actually, you know, all of this is getting ridiculous."

Hojo's mouth hung open in response. "What...?"

"You are completely reckless with things! You just... you just _assume_ that you're helping, and that you know what's going on and meanwhile you keep everyone around you in the dark until you spring this kind of crap on people at the last second!"

"I'm damn good at my job, Kagome. I know this business."

"YOU are only in 'this business' at all because you were clinging to my heels the whole time! If my fan club hadn't ever noticed you, and if you'd never been scouted at one of my shows 'you' and 'this business' wouldn't be in the same damned sentence!"

All he could do was stare at first, but he quickly gathered himself.

"You're one to talk! Takarai practically_handed_ you your career, and you're going to give me grief about how I got started?"

"I don't believe you said that. He taught me how to play guitar, and he got me my first gig, but you _saw_ what I went through to get here! You wouldn't be an actor if you hadn't have acted like my personal stalker through it all, so you have no room to criticize!"

"So you still wouldn't be a singer if you hadn't been Takarai's underage fuckdoll in high school! I loved you despite all of that, do you know that?"

Without a second thought, Kagome slapped him with all of her strength. "Don't you dare talk like you were doing me a favor! I loved _him_! And that's your major problem. You just assume what you decide is best." Tears were streaming down her face, now. She assumed that her makeup had streaked everywhere as she tried her best to wipe it all off. "What happened between Hide-chan and I is nobody else's business, but I'm going to tell you right now: if that's all you think I was, you really don't know me."

Rubbing his sore cheek, Hojo exhaled. "This is all wrong. I don't want to fight with you-- to me you're wonderful; you know that. I've just been so frustrated lately because I feel like you're slipping away from me. Look, I'm sorry for everything, but especially for not telling you what's on my mind." When he paused for a response, he noticed how Kagome wouldn't meet his gaze.

"I love you. I'll love you for the rest of my life," he whispered, grasping Kagome's hands. "I'm just so terrified right now..."

Sobbing, Kagome clutched his hands to her heart. "Do you know what I hate the most? That there's nothing I can say to make that fear go away."

He didn't know how to react to her words.

"Because... Sweetie... as much as I care about you, and as much as I know you don't mean any harm... There's nothing _you_ can say to erase what I felt during all the times I've cried over you." Releasing his hands, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, drawing him to her. "When I think of you now, I don't smile anymore, you have to understand. I just feel_tired_."

"That's why I wanted to involve you in my work-- so we could see each other..."

"That just tells me you don't understand how I feel about my music, Hojo-kun."

He held his breath. _Hojo-kun?_ She hadn't called him that in years.

"My singing has always been a part of me, longer than any relationship with a man. I've given up everything I could for this career; I'm in love with every part of it."

"Every part, including your manager," he murmured.

"That's not--" Gasping, Kagome pulled away suddenly and studied his face. He didn't say it to be malicious. "No, you're right."

It was Hojo now, who could not meet Kagome's eyes.

"I haven't been honest about it-- not even to myself at first, but... Yes, it's true."

He looked like he'd been hit but mustered the will to stay calm. "Does he know?" Hojo's eyebrows were knitted tightly together on his forehead, and he wrung his hands frantically as if trying to distract himself.

"I... I hope he does," she answered, sniffling. Her ankle felt uncomfortable as she shifted in her seat, trying to get Hojo to look at her. When he finally looked up, she placed a hand on his face. "I can't marry you." It was all she said before kissing him on the cheek and gathering her crutches to leave.

* * *

A security guard helped Kagome step into a large white van with tinted windows. The driver and front passenger seats were both sectioned off from the back of the van, separated by black Plexiglas with a small sliding window for communication. Below this window in the main passenger area stood a small bar, probably stocked, while further back the actual seats were located, surrounding a small, short table. A curtain was installed at each window for privacy.

"Thank you," murmured the young woman as she climbed in, taking a seat. Inuyasha followed holding her crutches, seating himself across from her.

"We ready to get out of here?" asked Shippo, moving to close the door behind them.

"Let's go home," sighed Kagome, smiling a little at her friend. She watched Sango sit in the front passenger seat and turned to smile at Inuyasha once the van started. Her manager smirked in reply. Behind them a decoy van followed for a bit and finally went in a separate direction.

For a few minutes the pair sat in content silence, exchanging small smiles or examining and reexamining their surroundings. It was Inuyasha who eventually broke the silence.

"I'm thirsty. You thirsty?"

"Sure."

He knew she'd been crying, but had already gone ballistic when Kagome didn't return to him in a timely manner. He'd behaved pretty badly tonight and didn't want to test the end of Kagome's patience by being intrusive. Making his way to the champagne bar Inuyasha scowled once he examined their options. "Well, we've got sparkling apple juice or sparkling apple juice. Where the hell's the liquor?"

"Apple juice sounds great-- pour me some, will you?"

Sighing, Inuyasha picked up a champagne flute. "Keh. Of course. What kind of cheap-ass jerk..."

"It's _fine_," giggled Kagome as she was passed a drink.

"Kanpai," the hanyou laughed, toasting with Kagome. As he sipped a little he watched his companion gulp her juice. For a split second he opened his mouth, wondering what to say before he closed it all over again.

She spoke on her own. "The damned nerve. Can you believe what he said about us? Damn it, it's broadcasted all over Asia now..."

Was she baiting him into yelling, or actually venting? The half demon couldn't tell. _Best to act normal,_ he reassured himself. Yes, normal.

"I'll kill him," he muttered, gulping down his drink.

Startled at how Inuyasha hadn't started screaming, Kagome stared blankly.

"What?" Before he could be answered, the champagne flute slipped out of his hand, flipping and hitting the edge of the table. All but the base and stem were scattered all over the floor of the van in shards. Despite how glad he was that the strange and sudden tension between them was eased, Inuyasha cursed.

"My God, be careful! Let me help you with that," gasped Kagome, moving onto the floor. Inuyasha stopped her, grabbing her wrists as she reached to clean up the mess. The hanyou's abrupt movements caused her to jerk her hand away, fists clenching against a few pieces of glass that were already held there. She yelped, immediately dropping everything to examine her cut.

"Shit!" Running on pure instinct, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand and licked at her wound. He ran his tongue across the small cut in her palm. As soon as realization of his act struck he paused awkwardly, steeling himself to continue as if he meant to do it. Kagome would figure that it was a youkai thing, he hoped, but that didn't stop a blush from spreading across both of their faces. He pressed his lips to her palm and sucked lightly, briefly swirling his tongue over the cut one last time. Their breaths quickened at the contact and as he pulled away, Inuyasha pressed his lips into the cut one last time.

"Thanks." Kagome lightly held her hand to her chest. "It doesn't even hurt anymore."

"Dammit, you need to be more careful," her manager replied, suddenly glaring and raising his voice. "What gave you the idea I'd let you do something like pick up broken glass? You're already injured..."

Kagome was a little startled at the abrupt change in tone but was soon at ease with it. "Who do you think you are, treating me like I'm some sort of invalid? Like I'm too precious to pick up glass..."

"Just back the fuck off, Woman! I'm the one who broke the damned thing."

Kagome scoffed indignantly. "See if anyone helps _you_ again," she laughed while rolling her eyes.

"Like I'd need to ask anyone for--"

"Hey, you guys." Before Inuyasha could finish his retort Shippo slid open the Plexiglas window.

"Behave," Sango chided. "We can hear your yelling from up here, and we're totally prepared to tease you in the future for anything incriminating that happens."

"You bitches," Inuyasha laughed as the window slid shut.

"Look who's talking," Kagome giggled.

"Keh."

Some time had passed once Inuyasha finished cleaning up the broken glass, and as the van creeped through the streets Kagome had kicked off her shoes and alternated between trying to nap and holding a bag of ice to her sore ankle.

"Give me that," he sighed, motioning for Kagome to lie back down along the seats. "Where are you trying to put this thing, right on the bone?"

"See the bruise between my ankle and the tendon? Right there. Ahh..." Allowing her eyes to sink closed, Kagome stretched and sighed happily, glancing down at Inuyasha who kneeled on the ground, holding her ankle. "Thank you," she mumbled, before drifting off a little.

He was still in shock that Kagome deviated from her usual white clothes, and didn't realize how such a thing like black silk would drive him mad, but as he held the ice against Kagome's ankle his eyes traveled up her legs, studying her 'short pants', as she called them. They looked too much like panties to even matter-- like damned semantics changed the fact that he could see how snugly they clung to her butt! Short pants, panties, bikini bottoms, these things were all shaped the same and covered the same amount of flesh, which really wasn't much at all.

_Oh, so you admit it! You think I'm sexy._

_You have no idea,_ he wanted to answer as she left the dressing room at the awards show, but it would have been a lie. She knew, and that was the problem. She bullied him with it for years until he finally relented, and once that happened her attacks got worse.

"I need a pillow, Inu-chan," she whined.

"I don't have one, Honey," he answered, already exasperated.

With a long sigh, Kagome moved to the floor, approaching Inuyasha on her knees. When he raised an eyebrow she smiled a little, motioning for him to sit, and then straightening out his legs. She finally turned herself, smiling and placing her head on his lap. "Human pillow." He returned her smile, brushing a little bit of hair from her face.

"Ah. Can't fall asleep, huh?"

"I'm just uncomfortable, I guess. Are you bored?"

"Not really. You're pretty entertaining to watch like this."

"Oh," Kagome teased, "Taking joy in someone's misery."

"Maybe," he replied with a hint of absent-mindedness in his voice. Her dress was back on his mind, now that she'd provided him with a different view. He wasn't sure if he could take this much longer. "Turn around."

"On my stomach?" Kagome blinked. "You want me to lay with my face on your lap? Face-first, in your lap?" She grinned, starting to turn.

Slapping his forehead, Inuyasha growled. "YES, Kagome, I want you to suck my dick-- what do _you_ think? God, just shut up for five seconds and do what you're told--"

"--Kinky!"

"Fuck! Nevermind! Get off of me. Go nap on the seats. I was gonna rub your shoulders, but fuck it, you're done."

"Aww, that sounds great! I'll behave..."

"No, we're done. Just please leave me alone."

"Inu-chan," Kagome giggled, stroking his cheek with her finger. "Don't tease me with something like that," she continued, until Inuyasha jerked his face away from her.

"Stop!" He yelled. Climbing up to a seat, he crossed his arms.

"Wait. You're actually mad about something. What's wrong with you?" Seating herself next to her manager, Kagome tried to grab for his hand, but he pulled it away.

"How much of this do you expect me to take, Kagome? You... we... you're with _Him_ but when he's not around I'm your fucking substitute boyfriend. This is just... it's dishonest, you know? I don't like this behind-the-back shit. It actually sickens me, so right now... Damn it! Right now I hate myself for putting up with what you throw at me, and I hate myself for kissing you, and looking at you the way I do, and for all of these thoughts I've had about you. Because of what I feel about you, I've turned into a damned pussy hypocrite about all of this stuff!"

"Inuyasha..."

"No more sex jokes, Kagome. No more panty flashes. No more making excuses for me to... to _touch_ you or to fix your dress strap or put on sunscreen, and no more wiggling your hips like you do when you show me new clothes-- you think I don't notice? You don't do it for Sango. No more prancing around in those negligee and nighties that I can see through."

"Wait,"

"Kagome, please," he pleaded. "I can't work like this, it's too hard. I haven't been able to think straight and do my job so well lately when all I think about is how at the end of the day you belong under Hojo's roof with him because you're his girl. Not with me, your employee. The only other thing I could do to cope with all of this is quit my job."

"Inuyasha, please don't..."

"...But I don't because I have to be near you," he finally finished. The hanyou let his head droop into his hands as he sighed, rubbing his scalp with his fingertips. "Instead of fucking any other woman I rearrange my whole schedule just to pat you on your shoulder at the end of the night. I know it's my job to be there for you, but this is so fucking pathetic. So please, help a man out and make things easier for me?"

"I think I have," Kagome finally answered. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"We're through, Hojo and I. It took so long for me to come back tonight because I was ending things with him."

Inuyasha fell out of his seat. Kagome slipped down out of hers to join him.

"You... if this is what you call a joke it's completely sadistic."

"I swear it's not a joke. I swear it's the truth," she whispered, pulling his cheek to her lips as she kissed it softly.

_That's why she was crying earlier?_ Closing his eyes, he tipped his head back while Kagome kissed him. It was over? He was trying to process this. For the entire time he'd known her Kagome was off-limits. The hanyou didn't even know how to react, as if he'd never approached a woman before. His companion helped to make things clear, however. Her hand eventually moved to his neck, and then her arm slipped around his shoulder as she finally climbed on his lap and kissed his lips.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he kissed her back with ferocity and laid her on the floor. From there his hands caressed her sides as their tongues touched, and the hanyou moved his lips down Kagome's neck while her fingers tangled in his hair.

"You promise it's the truth?" He sucked lightly on her neck.

"Yes, yes! I'm single," Kagome panted as she felt Inuyasha's fangs brush lightly against her skin.

"Let's fix that," Inuyasha answered, kissing further down between her breasts.

Tipping her head back, she tried her best to soften her voice as she cried out. Inuyasha's fingers had slipped over to her chest, and they didn't have to do much to free Kagome's breasts from the corset she wore.

That was as far as they got, however. A familiar sliding sound startled the new couple and they froze, finding themselves staring up at a very stunned Shippo and Sango. Kagome was the first to react, covering her chest and climbing back up to a seat while Inuyasha covered his face with his hand.

"Um," Shippo broke the silence. "We're here, guys. Kagome's place." He slid the small window shut, and Kagome barely caught the beginning of an "Oh my God..." before it clicked closed.

The pair sat in silence, waiting for Shippo to come around and open the door for Kagome.

"I'll call you about our trip, later tonight," she said with one trembling hand on her new lover's shoulder. When Shippo opened the door to the van, Sango helped Kagome steady herself over her crutches. She then left with Kagome, escorting her inside.

The fox demon climbed into the van after the women were out of sight. He kneeled on the floor in front of the hanyou.

"They broke up tonight," was all Inuyasha could say. The demons sat quietly after that.

For the second time Shippo's words broke the silence. "Honestly? We all had bets you guys were already, um, doing it."

"We haven't 'done it,' you dick!" the half demon hissed.

"Whoa, hang on." With both hands raised at his waist and palms facing Inuyasha to pacify him, Shippo chuckled a little. "I'm not interested in what base you guys have gotten to, but I'm just saying: it ain't a secret that you're stupid for each other. Better tell Miroku, though. Let him know what's up because this changes things."

* * *

**Notes:**

GAH. I don't have an Internet connection at home at the moment, but in a couple of days I plan to upload a drawing (of Kagome's dress) and some info to the Fade and Flare web site when I get stuff together.

SO, wow. Lots of time passed since the last full chapter, but since then life has been busier. At the moment I've got exams on top of my regular workload and other side projects. Managed to go back to Japan in the time I was gone, so there was some good inspiration for a lot of things this chapter.

This is easily the longest chapter so far. In my word processing program they usually average about 12-18 pages, but this one's at 22. I think this is the longest single piece of writing I've ever done. Ha ha ha, I'm so inexperienced. For each chapter I have a little list of all the important things that need to happen before the chapter can end, and from there I write out the scenes-- I've had the entire list of events mapped out ever since I started this story, actually.

So, next time: A bunch of stuff happens. Sex, too. See you there!


	14. 13: Los Angeles

­­

Fade and Flare

Chapter 13

Inuyasha (at least the anime, anyway) is copyright Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Yomiuri Terebi, and Sunrise 2000.

* * *

**Notes:** If you want the uncensored version, you'll have to read it at Mediaminer. You can get to my MM stuff from my profile here, or you can check out the Fade and Flare website for a link to it.

* * *

_"Next up this morning, double shock at the MTV Asia Awards last night! A provocative dress and even more provocative slip of the tongue--"_

Kagome sighed, changing the channel.

_"...What everybody's talking about, that super-sexy dress--"_

Next channel.

_"...Wondering why Higurashi-san and Hojo-san have not held an official press conference as of yet--"_

Next.

_"...That announcing the engagement on MTV is a calculated move, and others argue it's too sloppy to be contrived, but one thing is certain--"_

One more.

_"...And cancelled her performance just before the show. In the wake of her new album, is Higurashi Kagome-san--"_

This was ridiculous. Turning off the television the pop star rolled her eyes and set the remote control onto an end table before she stood and adjusted her jeans. Sighing again, nervous to be leaving Japan at such a time, Kagome leaned on a single crutch as she hobbled to her bedroom. Though she felt almost no pain in her ankle she didn't want to take any chances yet, taking care not to put weight on her foot when possible.

Sitting onto her bed, checking over her luggage just one more time, she took an inventory of the things she wanted to be sure to bring: Passport and wallet in her purse in a handy, yet secure, place? Yes. Toiletries wrapped carefully in her checked luggage? Yes. Performance clothing in a garment bag? Got it.

...Negligee? Check. Kagome packed three, even though separate rooms had been booked for her and Inuyasha.

"Kagome! You ready? Shippo's waiting downstairs."

From her entryway Inuyasha had shouted, making his way to her bedroom afterwards. Kagome pulled herself to her feet as she heard him coming, just managing to stand as he appeared at her bedroom door.

"Kagome, are you--"

"Yes," she interrupted. "Yes, I'm ready," she reiterated darting towards him, quite nimbly for someone with a crutch. Inuyasha was reaching for a piece of her luggage as she slid to intercept him.

Blinking, her manager stared questioningly at her. "O-okay?" He managed, suddenly blushing as she grinned at him.

With her free hand Kagome cupped Inuyasha's cheek, pecking him on the lips. "Good morning," she said with a bigger smile.

"Morning," the hanyou murmured. Carefully, as if in fear of being punished he returned the quick kiss and moved to pick up her luggage. Kagome frowned as she slung her purse over her shoulder, following him into the hallway.

_That was pretty cold,_ the half demon self-admonished as he carried Kagome's luggage to the entryway. He'd hoped she understood how surreal this all was to him. After talking with Shippo, dealing with threats from Sango to be careful with Kagome's heart, and having a lengthy conversation with Miroku last night Inuyasha was still in disbelief of the situation. Just like Shippo had said, other people had not been surprised at the sudden change. Miroku actually sounded like he'd been preparing for such a contingency for years.

That was it, really-- everyone around them was already used to the idea. Inuyasha was the only one caught off-guard in this situation, having convinced himself for years that a relationship with Kagome was not acceptable. Now that it was a reality he'd been sent spinning, unsure of what to do. Inuyasha, the brash, forceful, and often feared half-demon manager of the legendary Higurashi Kagome was at a loss and terrified.

He knew in his gut what he wanted. All the times he'd lost control and kissed her were clear indications of that. Last night he'd gone into autopilot, because he was feeling so weak, and the most shocking part about his own actions was that he immediately tried to get Kagome naked. If not for Shippo and Sango's interruption that black dress could have been ripped to shreds on the floor of the van.

This was a problem. Kagome wasn't just any girl. He couldn't just treat her like all the other women he'd been with. In silent company with Shippo as the fox demon drove today, Inuyasha was alone with these thoughts and morning radio shows that wouldn't shut up about Kagome on the drive to her apartment. He was reminded that Miroku and the rest of the staff would be up to their ears in press inquiries while they were away. _Just hang on for four days, guys._

As he reached the entryway he put Kagome's luggage down and pulled up a chair for her to sit in while he gave her shoes to put on. "I'm going to make sure everything's turned off and locked up, so you sit tight."

With a sad smile Kagome nodded, thanking him. The look wasn't lost on Inuyasha. Mentally pushing himself, he dove down to kiss her softly on the cheek. It was such a small gesture but he'd truly meant it-- he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her cheek with such feeling, trying to remind himself that this was finally okay. Inuyasha was instantly taken aback at how content she looked when he pulled away. _He'd_ put that look on her face. He felt compelled to give her another kiss, this time on the lips.

"You're so damned adorable," he whispered, kissing her a third, and finally a fourth time.

It was a slippery slope from there, the hanyou realized. When Kagome sighed happily, pressing her hand to her heart as she breathed now, he knew he'd erased her little bit of disappointment but wanted to keep going. Unfortunately, they had a schedule to keep. With a warm smile Inuyasha draped Kagome's shoulders with a white peacoat he'd retrieved from a hanger and left for a minute, forcing himself away this time, to briefly inspect her home.

* * *

Kagome was thankful for the hired security at the airport, though they didn't seem necessary. Under a pair of dark glasses, and with her hair mostly gathered under a baseball hat not a whole lot of the preoccupied, bustling lot at Narita Airport so much as glanced her way as she was able to roam through the shops with Inuyasha.

As the pop star stopped at a bookstore her mouth flattened into a thin frown at the sight of a photo of her with Hojo behind the podium at the awards show. A pair of chattering teenaged girls startled her when they walked up to the stand, pulling small suitcases behind them.

"No, I didn't see it last night."

"That's terrible, you should have watched! Her dress was so skimpy that Hitoshi-kun spit out his drink!"

"Come on," the calmer one said as she picked up a newspaper, examining a picture of Kagome. "Sure, that thing would get me killed if my parents saw me in it but it's nothing like the stuff Kouda Kumi-san wears."

"Maybe, but this was _Higurashi Kagome_ wearing it. She's too perfect and prissy to wear something like that, you know? I was so jealous, her butt looked cuter than mine!"

"I guess that makes sense, but she probably has a personal trainer and a surgeon on staff, and who knows what else so you probably don't stand a chance. Right, Miss?"

Kagome blinked, gripping her crutch a little tighter. They were looking at her, waiting for an answer. "I-I'm sorry?"

"Higurashi Kagome probably had a lot of work done to look the way she does, don't you think?"

A sideways glance told her that Inuyasha was watching carefully. After also looking at the two hired guards Kagome adjusted her sunglasses and set the newspaper she was holding back onto the stand.

"Oh, I really don't pay attention," she replied, starting to walk away. "All of those celebrities just look the same to me."

"Ah..." they replied, rapidly losing interest in what this stranger had to say.

When Kagome rejoined Inuyasha he smirked. "Nice," he said, as they headed towards customs.

--

"It's so cold," whined Kagome, who leaned into Inuyasha.

"Stop that," her manager scolded, handing his blanket to her. "Those stewardesses have been hovering over you for the last four hours-- d'ya think they're not gonna notice if we start cuddling?"

She grinned in thanks before bundling herself up in Inuyasha's blanket. "I'm telling the truth, though-- it's cold!"

He was fine with the temperature, but knew Kagome always felt a little chilly on airplanes. She got cold pretty easily. When she nuzzled the newly acquired blanket to her nose Inuyasha couldn't help but blush.

"Mmm, I can smell your cologne," she laughed, pressing the blanket to her nose again. "I like it."

"I think you gave it to me for some holiday--"

"O-kyaku-sama, would you like another blanket?" The formality snapped the hanyou out of his sentence, annoying him. He wondered if this woman would still refer to him as anyone's 'honored customer' if he were to spit out the profane reply he wanted to give her. Best not to pick a fight, though. Not before the last meal service, anyway.

"No, but I'd appreciate a beer," he answered. "Sapporo if ya got it. And if possible, can we get some hot towels and also some ice in a sealed bag? For her ankle."

"If you prefer, I can get you a heat pack instead of those hot towels," chirped the young woman with a pencil cut skirt and a neat bun of chestnut hair pinned to her scalp. "O-kyaku-sama," She added, referring to Kagome this time. "Is there anything I can bring you?"

"Some hot tea would be great. I'd prefer the heat pack, too, by the way. "

"Understood," she said with a curt bow, before departing.

"Perfect timing, my ankle was starting to bother me a little again. It's nowhere near as painful as it was yesterday, though."

"I figured you were uncomfortable. You haven't been able to sit still for the last half hour. Not hard to see,"

"I guess not." Pressing a button on her armrest, Kagome reclined in her seat, sighing happily into her blankets. When the stewardess returned with all of their items Inuyasha sipped his beer as he wrapped Kagome's ankle in the heat compress. "Thanks, Inuyasha."

He smirked.

* * *

"They want each act to introduce themselves in English before starting their set. And, he's saying... if you can't you can have your translator do it."

Kagome nodded. A middle-aged Japanese woman, their translator, repeated what a short Caucasian man in trendy glasses and a brunette fauxhawk said to the group of roughly twenty musicians from various countries. Though Kagome had no problems understanding she would have been slow in translating back to Japanese for Inuyasha. She trusted the professional to do her job.

"_Got it,_" Kagome answered in English. "_I can handle that._" She turned to Inuyasha, whose expression was a little blank. "I'll be introducing myself."

A little overwhelmed for once, Inuyasha took a second before he nodded to show his understanding.

Standing with the other foreign musicians in a rough circle, the hanyou was busy surveying the massive room they were in. What Kagome had not been told was that she was booked as part of an international music showcase for Sony Music investors. Though the label only existed in the United States and Japan there was interest in pushing international artists in America under a new label-- anyone who could sing in English, at first (regardless of whether or not they could speak it). The party in two days would showcase what other countries had to offer.

_This is a nice place..._

Though Kagome was already signed with Sony Japan, the American and Japanese branches acted independently of each other. She would literally start her career over in this country, but she'd at least have the help of a publicity campaign.

As his eyes ran across the marble floor and chandeliers hanging high from the ceiling Inuyasha suddenly realized that while Kagome was prepared for immersion he was not so ready to manage her here. He couldn't speak English. He wasn't as familiar with the culture as Kagome or Miroku.

For the first time ever the prospect of being a burden to her seemed real. He'd never felt inadequate like this before. It terrified him so much that he did not speak for the rest of the afternoon, only quietly looking around and nodding at whatever the translator said. Silently he watched Kagome interact with all of these people, newly impressed with her. She carried herself so confidently and her good mood was contagious.

He would have to do _some_thing-- perhaps take up some English lessons, so that she wouldn't have to worry about him or anything else but her own work. Today the smile on her face was priceless; he wanted her to focus completely on her music if it meant she would be like this from now on.

Once everyone was dismissed for the day, Kagome adjusted her crutch, and linked her free arm with Inuyasha's as they headed to a limousine.

"You seemed a bit distracted today. Something wrong?"

_That's really what it comes down to. I've always been replaceable. _Something he thought he'd forgotten once again loomed over his shoulder. How could he forget what had been holding him back from her this whole time?

Before he could hold it back Inuyasha sighed. "I'm... uh... just getting used to things." He took Kagome's hand, helping her into the car while the driver held the door open for them. When the limo began to move Kagome curled up next to Inuyasha, resting her head in his lap.

"This feels pretty refreshing right about now. I was almost against coming, but now I'm glad we did."

_I can't hold her back._

When Inuyasha's reply was nothing more than a short grunt, Kagome became concerned. She was always a little suspicious when he wasn't yelling or complaining. Sitting up, she spoke to him. "Inuyasha... are you really okay? You're scaring me a little."

What could he say to put her at ease? "Yeah. Fine. Just taking in everything. Hey, wouldja' mind if I stayed in tonight? I know it's a big city with lots to do but I think I gotta just sit for a while. Besides, we should rest that ankle for at least another night."

Kagome stared.

"But if there's something you really, really wanna do I'll take you out. Look, forget I said anything."

This... was _weird_. But Kagome didn't know what to say or do to get him to talk, so she smiled at him. "No, that's fine. Mind if I keep you company instead?"

Tenderly returning her smile he lifted one hand to caress her cheek. "Keh. Is that a threat?" It was all he said before snaking both hands around her waist. Inuyasha rest his head in the crook of her neck, trying to memorize this moment: the hum of an engine in the dark, and the faint scent of her perfume as he gripped her belly with his fingertips.

_I can't leave things this way._

His fingers rose and sank with her soft breathing and he listened to her heartbeat, calmed by its steady rhythm. Bit by bit Kagome could feel him relaxing as he held her. She felt a little less worried than before.

* * *

Room service was fun. Unused to larger American portions Kagome had balked at the size of her steak but she happily ate her fill. It was nice to have Inuyasha there to finish what she couldn't eat. At Kagome's request the couple dined near the windows of her corner suite, staring out at Los Angeles. They talked about mundane things and ended with dessert before moving to another room, sharing a couch for the evening.

They were glad to find a channel in Japanese, and watched NHK News with a bit of interest. Through the weather forecast Kagome smiled a bit. The information was pretty much useless, but at least knowing what the weather was like at home reminded her that she was still on the same planet. In foreign countries it was sometimes easy to forget.

Another reminder stared back at her with a fake smile-- her own face, as she stood next to Hojo at the MTV Asia Awards. She glanced over to Inuyasha, who was already looking at her in concern. Together they turned their attentions back to the television.

_"And for some celebrity news, reports are circulating that singer Higurashi Kagome-san has left Japan for the United States. One unidentified person accompanied her, a male youkai rumored to have been an employee. Her boyfriend, popular actor Hojo was unreachable for comment. In the wake of their MTV appearance and news of their engagement--"_

Sighing and changing the channel, Kagome tossed the remote control to Inuyasha.

"Assuming that nobody we know leaked that, the only other way they could have gotten the information was through the airline, right?"

"That or the airport staff."

"Argh."

"So we'll boycott both. We dump the plane tickets we've got and I'll have Miroku book a return flight with JAL instead of ANA. And we'll land in Haneda instead of Narita."

"Sounds good." She stretched across the couch, resting her feet on her manager. Not wanting to address the issue anymore, she opted for explaining what was going on in a couple of sitcoms for him as he massaged her ankle.

Inuyasha tried his best to control his temper, hiding his frown as he pressed into her skin. He was terrified again. He wanted to call Miroku for some suggestions; he'd have to call tomorrow anyway.

"I really appreciate this," Kagome started.

"Is that what the lady on the TV's saying? Or is that what you're saying?"

Giggling, Kagome shook her head. "I'm thanking you, Inu-chan. My ankle feels so much better. You make _everything_ better."

He rolled his eyes, laughing a little. "You can thank me by not calling me that."

Leaning towards her he reached out to mess up her hair, but Kagome had other ideas. She caught him by the wrist, pulling until his face hovered over hers. "Oh, I have a couple of ideas about how I can thank you..."

"Ah." Whose heart was pounding in his ears? "W-well, don't go to a whole lot of trouble for my sake," he murmured, and then blinked when Kagome headed to the other room.

"Close your eyes," she said, returning after a few minutes. "I won't come in until you close them."

"Sure..." This was nerve-wracking. He knew exactly what was going on but managed to be terrified. When she sat herself on his lap and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, his mind raced. He felt her lips pressing against his neck, exhaling hotly over his skin as her free hand gripped his shoulder for leverage. "Should I open them now?"

"Only if you want to," Kagome whispered, twisting her body to kneel over his lap. With both knees on either side of his legs, and both arms around his shoulders she kissed Inuyasha on his cheek. She continued to kiss him, waiting for a response.

When he didn't react, Kagome paused. She watched his eyes open slowly and then widen, darting up and down her lacy red negligee.

"Oh my God," he said suddenly, gripping his companion by the waist to lift her off of his lap. "I... you're... my God." Completely perplexed, his head sunk into his hands.

"Um," This reaction was nowhere near what she'd expected. Suddenly self-conscious, she seated herself next to Inuyasha with crossed arms. "If you hate it I can change back. Is it the cut? The color? Am I just... doing this badly?"

"_What_? No, no!" _Get a hold of yourself, Jerk! You're worrying her._ "God, I just... I..." He felt the need to stand up and pace. "_Look_ at you. You're fucking amazing... You could be wearing a paper bag and still manage to kill a man with those looks."

"And somehow you have a problem. I'm not adequate for Inuyasha, the legendary woman killer?"

In mid-step he froze. "Really, do you have to _ask_ that?" How could he explain to her how overwhelming everything had been for him in the last couple of days? He'd never been this happy before; he was suspicious. He didn't know what to do. What he'd wanted the most-- Kagome-- had fallen into his lap and in almost the same instance it felt like she'd disappear just as quickly, after today. Not knowing how to cope, the hanyou had relied on his conditioned reactions: If Kagome was acting sexual? Panic. Fight it.

He looked at her, into those clear gray eyes that pinned him in place, begging for him to ease her mind.

_Damn it, I'm no better than that fucking Hojo right now._

How was she supposed to know what he was thinking when he'd never told her? It was unfair. Inuyasha pulled her up to stand with him, holding her against his body. Completely enveloping her, wrapping one arm around her waist and another around her shoulders, he brought his lips to hers.

"You gotta understand. I don't want you to push yourself for me," he whispered when they broke apart. Slowly he collapsed back down into the couch with her, sitting with his legs extended across the cushions and collecting her small body into his lap. "Don't think you have to throw yourself at me just because we're together." The half demon removed his shirt, wrapping it around Kagome as she curled up against his chest, silently staring up at his face.

A few silent minutes had passed as they held each other, before Kagome answered with a low voice. "It's not like that-- I'd do anything for you."

He ran his fingertips along her side, and up further to caress her bare shoulder in soft circles. "Then just lay here with me? Please?"

Nodding silently, she clung to her companion's undershirt as they watched more sitcoms.

* * *

After rehearsals it was Kagome who felt irritated-- not because there was any difficulty with her performance or procedures, but because Inuyasha acted much too... what was the word?

_Professional._ Though she tried her best to hold his attention, flirting with him each time they interacted (and so much so that everyone around them looked a little uncomfortable, much to Inuyasha's disdain).

They woke up together this morning, having fallen asleep the night before on the couch in Kagome's suite. Inuyasha's cell phone rang and vibrated, snapping the couple out of an otherwise good rest, and after a conversation with Miroku in the other room Inuyasha came back to join his girlfriend for breakfast.

At first Kagome thought Inuyasha looked so cute when he was flustered and blushing as he looked at her, and equally cute after an awkward good morning kiss. However as the day progressed and her half demon manager was nothing _but_ her manager through and through, she grew impatient.

She decided to break their silence in the limousine. "Remember, you promised to go out with me tonight."

He began to flinch, but wisely kept himself in check.

Sure enough, after the last of rehearsals had finished Kagome was on Inuyasha's arm all the way back to the hotel where she told him to freshen up. It didn't take long. He changed into a fresh shirt, something white with pinstripes, ripped black jeans, and a comfortable pair of black boots. When he returned to Kagome's room he laid around on her couch, grinning to the sound of Kagome running back and forth, unzipping garment bags and clamoring for makeup.

"Better not put on too much of that crap-- it reeks, you know?"

"I want to look cute for you!" she yelled, brushing on some light lip-gloss. "I want every man in the room to envy you!"

"That's garbage," he growled back at her. "All you need to worry about is whether or not _I_ think you're hot."

There was a pause, and then it sounded like some bottles were being set down. "Point taken. Just a little bit of makeup to make me happy, is that a deal?"

"Whatever," the hanyou laughed. "Just don't cry if I won't come near that reeking foundation of yours."

"You're no fun." Kagome's voice startled him, as it came from directly behind the couch. As he turned around to meet her gaze he laughed when he met her smirking face, tongue sticking straight out at him as she crossed her arms.

The half demon stood too, taking both of her hands in his as he looked at her. "I'm plenty of fun. For example, I know you chicks go to a lot of trouble with this dressing up stuff. So let's not hide this carefully calculated outfit. Lemme look at you."

"I guess," she sighed, laughing at him. When he looked at her, she watched his eyes fixate on her bare legs, eventually trailing up along them to stop at a silk black miniskirt. They continued up, past a wide belt around her waist, and stopping again at the bit of cleavage that poked out of her fitted, black, collared shirt. Still playful, Kagome placed one hand behind her head and placed the other hand on her hip, sticking it out. "Do you approve?" She shrieked when he suddenly grabbed her by the waist, pulling her over the back of the couch and into his body.

"The hell do _you_ think?" he laughed, burying his face in the curve of her neck. For a few minutes they stayed this way until Kagome moved to pry herself up.

"So. Nao-san says--"

"--who's Nao-san?" interrupted Inuyasha, whose mouth was quickly covered by Kagome.

"Our translator! Really..."

"Keh! I only knew her family name!"

"So," interrupted Kagome, "Nao-san says that a good place for dinner and some dancing is House of Blues on Sunset Strip. All this week is amateur night, so we won't have any problems getting dinner seats, and we'll be able to walk around the place, and people usually dance when there's room to. Sounds fun, doesn't it?"

He was pretty sure it didn't matter what they did. Time with Kagome was all he really cared about, anyway. "Sure," Inuyasha laughed, still a little nervous.

--

Their table was on the second floor, overlooking the stage and dance floor. The excellent view was immaterial. Throughout dinner Kagome was being flirty, touching her boyfriend's face with her fingertips, licking her lips slowly as she ate daintily, and leaning forward _just so_ every once in a while, allowing Inuyasha to better observe her chest as she spoke to him about... what was she even talking about, anyway? It was loud in there.

Damn her, she had all of this down to a science. Whether she knew how to seduce a man or just _him_ so well was something Inuyasha couldn't figure out. At the end of the day, though, her efforts were effective. With a pounding heart and constantly wringing fingers he was literally eating from her hands, as she fed some of her creme brulee to him. When the hanyou miscalculated and got some on the corner of his mouth, Kagome was quick to fix the mistake, kissing the custard away, just barely brushing it with her lips and touching his mouth with her tongue.

"It's good, isn't it?" she winked, taking a bite for herself. She licked the spoon clean, holding her gaze with his as her tongue curled into the corner of her smile.

"Yeah." All distractions considered it was a pretty eloquent response for Inuyasha. He cleared his throat, directing his attention to the band on stage below. They were playing a song he'd heard before-- something in English that he was sure he'd heard on the radio in Japan. The performance was decent but he could still see how rough the band was around the edges. Maybe in a few years he'd consider managing a band like theirs-- hypothetically, of course.

"They're not bad, are they? Not amazing, but not bad."

"Exactly what I was thinking," Inuyasha murmured, "But totally danceable, don't you think? We'll be gentle on your foot; you up to it?"

Kagome stared at Inuyasha's outstretched hand as he smiled at her, and nodded as she took it. Her lips turned up in a thin smile as she was led downstairs to the dance floor.

Though she did it so often, Kagome often forgot how much she loved to dance for fun. It had been so long since she'd had a partner, and so long since she could revel in the anonymity of any public dance space, as this was nearly impossible in Japan. Here Kagome was just a girl out with her guy, enjoying a night in Los Angeles.

The bass drum pounded mercilessly through the room, as lights flashed in the dark. The air on the dance floor was as dense as its crowd, and it didn't take Kagome long to get comfortable. Shaking her hips, twirling with Inuyasha and writhing to the upbeat song the pop star forgot about the hectic day in store for her tomorrow, and about the reporters waiting for her at home. She grinned up at her dance partner, taking his hands to close the distance flirtatiously before moving away as quickly as she came.

While Inuyasha was not notorious for his prowess on the floor, he was formidable enough to survive with Kagome. Perhaps the hours of sitting through video and tour rehearsals showed in his knowledge of how she moved. Together the pair spun and stepped, weaving through the thick crowd of dancers, yet paying no mind to them.

With each step Kagome lost herself a little more, moving a if it were a catharsis-- as if she could banish every stress in her life by dancing hard enough. She laughed, giving Inuyasha a smile, and he pulled her a little closer, suddenly dipping her low on the floor before using his strength to grip her waist, tossing her into the air. His reward was Kagome's laugh as he caught her. Her head tipped back, hair whipping down behind her as she kicked high, using the momentum of her foot coming back down to come flying back at Inuyasha. She landed into him, arms draping over his shoulders as she pressed roughly against him. The young woman's fingers caught a few strands of his hair and combed through it with a flick of her wrist.

Before they realized it, the floor had cleared around them. Cheers from their fellow dancers rang high over the music, urging them to continue. Inuyasha leaned towards Kagome's ear, speaking as loudly as necessary.

"Let's have them witness a little history here. Too bad they don't realize they're about to welcome their new pop queen to town."

Kagome laughed. "Maybe, maybe not." She winked at him, spinning theatrically away from his grasp. With each high kick the crowd cheered, each maneuver causing applause until the band finished their song. Pausing to applaud at the band, Inuyasha and Kagome linked arms and walked off of the floor.

"I need a drink to continue, sorry."

"It's okay," she giggled. "I don't have your stamina, I need a break. I could use a drink myself!"

An eyebrow lifted. "Ah," Inuyasha answered, "Gonna have a martini or two, huh?"

"Hell, maybe even three," Kagome playfully shot back. "Thank you so much for coming with me. It's so fun." On an impulse she kissed him lightly on the cheek. He draped an arm over her shoulders as they made for a pair of vacant seats at the bar.

Kagome leaned in towards the bartender, smiling sweetly. Noticing that he was Japanese, she wondered if she should speak to him in her native language. Past experiences taught her that a number of Japanese people in the United States didn't always speak it. Before she could get a word out the man in front of her, wearing a polo shirt with horizontal stripes and vintage jeans, gasped with recognition.

"Hi-Higurashi Kagome-san?"

She smiled, and Inuyasha grinned, leaning with his back to the bar.

"That's me."

"Oh my God, I can't believe this! I _love_ your music! Anyway, what will you have? On the house. Is Hojo-san here too?"

Kagome tried her best to make sure her smile didn't wane. "Ah, no, he's back in Japan. My date for tonight is Inuyasha, my manager." She gestured nervously to her silver-haired companion.

"I've heard your name before. Nice to meet you," the bartender said, bowing slightly in response to Inuyasha's nod. "So, please. Anything you'd like..."

"I think I'd like to try some of that Bacardi 151. A double, if you don't mind."

"Ah, the hard stuff," laughed the bartender. "Higurashi-san?"

"Long Island for me, please." Kagome bowed a little as the bartender prepared their drinks. She watched him deftly pour things, sighing a little. He didn't mean any harm, she knew. Either way her mood had darkened with just the mention of Hojo's name.

Inuyasha sensed a little tension as soon as Hojo was brought up. He fought to suppress his anger, not wanting to make this a bad night for Kagome. Stewing in his annoyance, the half demon frowned a little until they were served. To his surprise Kagome finished most of her drink instantaneously. Not good. He downed his shot, engaging Kagome in some light conversation. Their chatter was idle, consisting of exchanges over food and the flight. He made a point to touch her arm as they spoke, trying to calm her, but in the course of their conversation Kagome had ordered three tequila shots and a Midori sour as a chaser. Inuyasha groaned inwardly with every sip she took. Her cheeks flushed brightly as time passed, and her laughter got a little bit louder. The barrage of double shots Inuyasha had been drinking didn't compare to the beating Kagome was getting. He forced her to drink some water, and though he was worried about her getting dehydrated he preferred the idea of getting Kagome away from the bar.

"Let's dance," he said, pulling her suddenly by the wrist. Kagome stumbled a little, falling into him. As the pair reached the floor, a new song started-- another familiar one.

A smile spread like wildfire across Kagome's face, and Inuyasha was thankful. The inebriated woman was now pulling him, leading him to the center of the dance floor. The two swayed together to the upbeat ballad, as Kagome mouthed every word to the song. Slowly she was lost in a flurry of steps, barely hanging onto her companion.

He noticed that she was overexerting herself. Taking a hold of her hand, he spun her to slow down and pulled her body close. The emotions that whirled inside of Kagome, combined with the alcohol, the hanyou's gentle touches throughout the night, and finally the musky scent of his sweat as they danced together reaffirmed her attraction to him.

Tentatively Inuyasha rest his hands on his partner's hips. The air on the floor, hot and thick with pheromones and sweat was heavy on his cheeks. Yes, just the air, of course. Definitely not the Bacardi. His eyes began to roam over Kagome, slowly becoming entranced in movements that remained fluid, even when dulled by alcohol. As he felt her smooth movements through her hips, his grip tightened unconsciously. Kagome raised an eyebrow.

After a couple of flashy movements, she found herself dancing even closer to her partner. The music pounded through her body persistently. Inuyasha's more feral thoughts tugged annoyingly at the back of his mind, urging him to go further. Meanwhile Kagome responded to her partner's touch by making her moves a little more risque.

She bucked against him, raising both arms in the air as she danced. Inuyasha's surprised expression encouraged her further; this was fun! Turning her back to him, she repeated the moves against his body. Her emotions were beginning to surface more clearly than before, and she enveloped herself in his embrace. She'd put her hands on his as they snaked around her waist, but he only gripped her briefly in order to spin her. He held one of her hands then, placing another one on her back as he tipped her low towards the floor.

For the first time that night Inuyasha was able to hold her gaze with his own. His amber eyes captured Kagome's light gray ones, taunting her as they moved out of the dip. When Kagome was vertical again she slipped her arms around his shoulders, and his expression softened into a smile when his hands moved up her back, touching the tips of his fingers together between her shoulder blades.

With each move it was increasingly obvious how much the pair wanted to take this further. In the back of his mind, though, Inuyasha still felt dull pangs of doubt.

"Kagome, we should--"

"Inuyasha?" Kagome interrupted. She gazed at him with such intensity that her boyfriend could not answer as she brought her face closer to his, closing her eyes as she brushed his lips with hers.

That was enough. Before Kagome could pull away Inuyasha stopped dancing to return her kiss. With fervor, he held little back as his tongue slid into her mouth. He kissed her hard, forcing the breath out of her.

_Whoops._ It wasn't exactly what he'd intended to do, in front of so many people. "I'm sorry," Inuyasha started to say, but was quickly hushed with a finger to his lips.

Kagome held her finger in place, pulling him down to speak into his ears. "Let's go somewhere quiet."

Flustered and not thinking so clearly anymore Inuyasha nodded in response, leading Kagome outside by the waist.

--

He crushed her gently to the wall outside, in an unpopulated corner of the club's grounds, intent on finishing what they'd started inside. Between aroused gasps, kisses were traded underneath the chilly, biting, night air. Inuyasha's knee slipped between the fork in Kagome's legs; he slid one hand up her thigh, pulling her against him. She writhed beneath her companion, shivering at his touches, and he nipped at her neck in soft bites, grazing her skin with his fangs and brushing her with his lips, moving down until he reached her collarbone.

"Mmm, Kagome," he exhaled. His hot breath pricked at her skin. "Tell me to stop... we should stop..."

"We don't have to," she gasped.

"We should..." As he kissed her some more, her delicate fingers danced around buttons until Kagome had unbuttoned her shirt down to her waist. A black lace bra peeked out from underneath the opening in her shirt, framing the cleavage it held into place. Inuyasha groaned, cursing himself mentally for this lack of control, but his eyes betrayed him by feasting on a heaving chest.

A hand suddenly pulled on the back of his head until his lips were against her neck. Following these unspoken instructions Inuyasha resumed his nipping and kissing, grunting low as he felt her body bucking against his. With sudden urgency he caressed the leg that was hooked around his, pace increasing when she pressed into him harder. With short gasps she ground fervently into him, pawing at his chest with every kiss he placed on her neck. She nuzzled into him, speaking close to his ears. "I'm glad I left him," she sighed.

Inuyasha was snapped violently into reality with the mention of Hojo. _That's right,_ he remembered. _As far as the rest of the world's concerned they're engaged now._ Pulling back, he cradled her face and kissed her tenderly before completely pulling away.

"So am I, but..." he answered. He was glad his earlier apprehension wasn't unfounded. This was why! "We can't do this out here."

Business-minded again, Inuyasha shrugged her off of him, much to her protest. She moved to pull at him once more, only to be answered with his hand, steadying her at arm's length for a moment. "Button your shirt, Honey. Let's call it a night and go back to the hotel, okay?" When her shoulders slumped, he put his arm around her, flipping open a cell phone to call for their limousine.

* * *

The ride down Sunset Strip started in awkward silence until Inuyasha quietly cleared his throat and pulled out some gum. He held out the pack to Kagome after taking a stick for himself. "Want one?"

"Hm?" Kagome feigned a distracted gaze out the window and raised an eyebrow when met with the gum. Taking a piece, she thanked him quietly, happy to know why Inuyasha'd been holding his emotions back. She was still uneasy, though. Her eyes roamed for a place to discard the gum wrapper. Upon finding no such place her hand dropped heavily in her lap, the wrapper crumpled in the center of her palm. Inuyasha noticed and held his hand out.

"Gimme."

She started to move, but paused a second. Maybe the alcohol was still potent, or maybe she was mad about how things ended. For whatever reason she pulled her hand back and bounced the wrapper off of Inuyasha's face. Her manager blinked dumbly.

A giggle echoed in the limousine. Inuyasha scowled and pretended to turn away before diving over her, pulling her hands together, pinning them above her head, and tickling her mercilessly. "You little brat," he laughed, attacking her.

"Augh, AUGH, no!" Kagome squealed. Her foot kicked high into the air as she slipped down the seat and onto the floor. She kicked at Inuyasha, struggling to free an arm at the same time. She grabbed wildly for his hair, playing dirty to get the upper hand, but didn't quite grasp it. Before they could continue the car halted in front of their hotel.

_"Sir, Miss,"_ coughed the driver. _"We've arrived..."_

The pair froze, Kagome being the first to recover. She sat up quickly, straightening her skirt as she answered his English with her own. _"Ah-heh, thank you very much."_

--

"The look on his face was great," Inuyasha chuckled as the pair entered the elevator. Sliding his room key through the elevator's console to access the VIP floors, he pressed the button for theirs before they started their ascent. The elevator stopped and Inuyasha put one hand softly against Kagome's back as he led her out into the hallway, escorting her to her suite.

Kagome opened the door and held it. "Come in for a drink?" Their eyes didn't meet until she asked again, more forcibly. "Please. I can't help but feel like something's wrong."

His gaze locked with hers, and they stared at each other meaningfully for a few seconds. "No, you're right," he answered, walking past her to enter the room. Kagome followed, locking the door behind them. Without missing a beat she kicked off her shoes and headed to the bar, loading two glasses with ice and Scotch. Inuyasha sat on a couch, flipping on the television as Kagome seated herself next to him, handing him his drink.

"Thank you" he mumbled, fixating his gaze on the screen. Kagome drank quickly again, gulping her beverage down, to Inuyasha's chagrin. He pulled the glass easily from the woman's grasp before setting it on an end table. "Kagome, this is kinda pushing it, don't you think? You're still tipsy from the club."

"Why are you so distant? Tell me what's going on."

Inuyasha shrank back a little at her question. "Sure, but first I want you to put down the Scotch."

She picked up the glass again, sipping it. "I need a little liquid courage for this, okay? Why are you acting so hot and cold with me?"

"Stop that! I can explain if you just... just give me a bit." Taking her glass away again, he placed it a little farther away this time.

She growled suddenly, throwing him off. "Shut up, it doesn't matter. You're already stalling!" With a strangely alluring arch of her back she climbed across Inuyasha's lap to reach for her drink but was stopped. Inuyasha wrapped one arm around his companion's waist to hold her down. Kagome struggled as Inuyasha tried to focus on the TV, finishing his own drink and then hers as he crushed her into his lap.

"Look, I'm sorry, I changed my mind. I don't think this is so important at the moment. You need to be conscious for tomorrow, all right? Stop and just go to bed, Kagome." Without releasing his hold on her he turned of the TV and jumped backwards over the couch to carry her to bed.

"That's what I've been trying to do all _night!_ With you!"

Depositing her atop the mattress, Inuyasha dimmed the lights and spun around. "Good NIGHT," he huffed.

"Tell me what's going on. Why do you keep holding back? You just keep turning me on and then pushing me away!"

"Kagome," Inuyasha sighed. "I'm just... it's... I don't want to complicate things for you right now, okay?"

"_Complicate_ things? Inuyasha," she sighed back at him, more and more perplexed. "What I want from you is as simple as it gets. You're the one making it complicated!"

"Okay, okay, I get it. Look, I'm just worried. We have to stay low-key for now, and then figure out how to get over all of this engagement crap with Hojo."

"I know, and I agree with you but... we're _alone,_ Inuyasha! We don't have to be low-key if there's just you and me around!"

"Please," Inuyasha answered, rubbing his temples. "It's just... I... there's only so much control I can have, and... _Please_ just go to bed."

"Why? You can't make me stay here."

An eyebrow arched and fangs glinted. He'd be damned to let her continue arguing. The hanyou spun right back around as Kagome began to stand, only to be pushed back down onto the bed. "Sleep. NOW," he commanded.

"How dare you talk to me like that, Inuyasha!" Kagome stood up quickly albeit a little wobbly, attacking with a pillow to the head this time. She knew she was being selfish, but was irritated that Inuyasha would go to these lengths to be ridiculous. Her cheeks burned as she gripped the bed's headboard for support. "You're driving me crazy!"

Thanks to his own slight buzz he deflected the pillow poorly, only getting angry now. "Oh, so you see how it is, now? Doesn't feel so good, does it? How do you think I've felt most of the years we've worked together?" He caught her wrists as she reached for another pillow and pressed her against the mattress, restraining her. Though she knew she couldn't compare to his natural strength the young woman struggled against him, arching into his body.

"I don't understand why you have to be so extreme," She growled, trying to push him off of her with any free appendage. "You're worried, or wanting to get back at me, or _some_thing! Just_tell_ me what's on your mind and I'll understand! Don't keep things from me!"

"Kagome, calm down."

"When you had a couple of drinks you got _real_ eager at the club, you can't deny it. You want me. It's okay, you know, I'm your girlfriend! Your youkai blood was boiling, just begging you to take me, so why don't you do it--"

"Kagome, you're still drunk!"

"What, you can't handle it?" she retorted with a touch of desperation in her voice. Kagome freed a leg but was unable to do much with it. "What I don't think you understand yet, is that I'm not too prissy to get rowdy like this between the sheets. Don't youkai like it rough? I always thought you would."

"You're crazy!"

"_You're_ crazy! Do you want me or not?" Kagome sighed.

"You have no idea how badly I've wanted this, Honey. But... the more I think about it, the more I'm not so good for you. I can't take you and your career outside of Japan. I'm just not skilled enough to handle other cultures and languages... I'm totally replaceable, but you're something precious."

"Inuyasha..."

"And it's bad enough back home. You're on such a high pedestal that when people find out you're with anyone less than Hojo... you see where I'm going with this?" Inuyasha continued, loosening his grip on Kagome's wrists, but still holding her down.

"You could never be less than Hojo," she whispered.

Inuyasha stood, leaving her on the bed. "Kagome, you... you don't know what you're saying. Good night, okay?" As he began to walk to the exit Kagome stood, running to intercept Inuyasha. Jumping towards the door she stood between him and the exit.

"Wait," she pleaded. Inuyasha sighed and moved to walk around her, but she placed her hands gently on his shoulders. Softly, she pressed her lips against his before releasing him. Before he could respond again Kagome smiled shyly, not concerned with damaging her shirt as she pulled it open, belt and all. Inuyasha's lack of response didn't weaken her resolve. "Please. Please wait."

He gave her an exasperated look, but her gaze coaxed him to stay put. "Kagome," he began, shaking his head. His voice caught in his throat; he couldn't handle much more of this.

She kissed him again, closing her eyes and clutching his hands to her heart. "How can you say you're totally replaceable?"

"You're the _star,_ Kagome. Not me."

"I work in an industry where I'm constantly being replaced by someone younger, prettier, and cheaper. You should know that more than anybody."

He shook his head. "Don't give me that crap. Nobody tacks random photos of me on their walls, but millions of people you've never met do it every day. There's no substitute for that."

"That's no substitute for _you_. It doesn't even come close."

Inuyasha didn't know what to say.

"There's nothing I can achieve that replaces what you give me."

Inuyasha frowned. "Kagome..."

"Inuyasha. We're alone tonight."

He kept frowning. "Put a shirt on, please. Let's just talk about what to do when we're both a little less drunk."

She unfastened her skirt. "I already know what I want you to do. Make love to me."

"I can't!"

"Yes you can. Sleep with me. "

The hanyou's eyebrows knitted together on his forehead, and he headed for the exit once more. "No. Just not now." She gripped him again, pushing her entire body against his to hold him in place.

"_Fuck_ me." The words passed from her lips and blew over his in a hot whisper, full of promise.

Inuyasha's jaw didn't drop, but it twitched as if it should have.

"How... can you say that? I'm worried about what this would do to your life, I can't just-- and how can you call it such a crude thing?"

"You were treating it like such a horrible thing!" Kagome retorted, still gripping him. She brushed another kiss over his lips. "You're dressing it up like some catastrophic event when all I want to do is be your damned girlfriend. If you just don't want me, that's another story all together."

"It's not like that!" Shrieked the half demon. "It's just disastrous for you if anyone finds out about this!"

"What happens here is only between you and me." She said the words so quietly that Inuyasha wondered if they were real. Strands of her hair slipped down across her breasts, clinging slightly to her skin as her chest heaved. Her pleading eyes tugged at him from behind her midnight-colored bangs. Inuyasha was visibly uncomfortable, but couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

Kagome stepped out of her skirt, running her hands up her body. "It's fine if we have to keep our distance outside of this hotel room." She shrugged out of her open shirt, moving closer to him again. Two soft hands grasped the back of his neck, brushing the skin and weaving fingers into his hair. "I'd even be happy just to have you use me."

"Kagome! Don't ever say that!"

"It's the truth." As bold and confident as she thought she sounded, Inuyasha knew better. He could hear her heart pounding fearfully. Despite this observation, though, the hanyou's rational thoughts were numbering less and less. Soon after he remembered why it was so rewarding to lose control, as Kagome's gentle fingers pressed and swirled into his scalp.

He still tried to rationalize. She was his now. There was all the time in the world to do this with her. Ultimately, they didn't need to rush-- even though Kagome's breath was soft and quickened at the moment. It probably wasn't that different from how she'd gasp and pant, as she lay naked beneath him...

..._Fuck._

With a sigh of resignation he closed his arms tightly around her waist. "I couldn't use you." He kissed her until her knees were weak, continuing what they started outside of the House of Blues. The pair sank to their knees in a storm of heated kisses. Inuyasha slowly laid Kagome onto her back as he took in her scent, tongues mingling as demon fangs brushed over human lips. Clutching the hanyou's shirt, the young woman pressed into her lover as he slid along her body, slowly moving on top of her. Their kiss was broken briefly when Kagome pulled Inuyasha's shirt over his head. When she sat back up to lick the bare skin on his chest, she was coaxed back down onto the floor.

"Lay back," he purred into her ear.

--

Wordlessly the hanyou rose, running his fingertips along Kagome's cheek as she tried to catch her breath. Without much effort he lifted her, gingerly carrying her to the bed as if any abrupt movement would shatter the moment. Once he set her down he shed his remaining clothes, holding her eyes with his own before walking away to pull the curtains open.

Windows completely lined two of the walls in the room. From Kagome's corner suite so much of the surrounding city could be seen. The room was bathed in dark blue night: a moonlit sky dotted with ethereal pinks and violets, most likely from neon signs. Inuyasha turned towards the bed, back to his lover, and walked to her against this glowing backdrop.

Kagome marveled at this otherworldly sight. Inuyasha, naked and perfect with silver hair tumbling behind him and splashing against the Hollywood skyline, looked like a feral Adonis as he sauntered towards her. In this light his dog ears looked more like devil's horns, and his eyes, splashes of gold piercing through his dark silhouette, bore into her as the half demon climbed onto jumbled sheets to join her.

He said nothing before nudging her legs apart, and trailed wet kisses along her inner thigh. Fangs glinted in a smile as he watched her gasp beneath him again, but she was feeling affectionate. After a smooth shift in position, Kagome straddled Inuyasha. She smiled down at him with amorous eyes and he returned her gaze, gathering his hands at his belly.

There was no exaggeration-- nothing hidden or forced on her face. Right now she was not smiling to pacify or distract Inuyasha, and she wasn't smiling out of spite for any hurt she'd felt elsewhere. In that moment Inuyasha realized that he'd ripped away a mask of Kagome's that he never realized existed. He could see that chains of worry, obligation, work, and the world had lifted from her back in this safe place where they lay alone together.

Entwining his fingers with hers, both pairs of hands rested there as they shared a moment of mutual adoration in the dimly lit suite. "Lean close to me," Inuyasha murmured. "Come here, Honey."

Though it was familiar, the endearment startled Kagome. "Okay," she exhaled. She bent towards him, face hovering over his, moon reflecting off of her flushed cheeks and lips just slightly enough to entice the half demon towards them. Releasing Kagome's hands, smiling at how cute she looked when she flattened them against his chest, he placed his fingers on her cheeks, careful not to scratch her as he drew her lips to his.

Inuyasha's hands rest on her hips briefly, fingers memorizing her shape as he slid them up along her sides, eventually traveling to her back, where he pressed her closer. Before the couple could share any more words the hanyou stiffened an arm around his lover to steady her as he rolled them to one side, returning Kagome to her back. One clawed hand danced along her skin and finally came to rest, sheathed in hair at the nape of her neck.

--

When he collapsed on top of her they sighed again together. Kagome was the first to speak, as Inuyasha moved to her side. He gripped her waist with both arms, nibbling on her shoulder as she tipped her head towards his.

"I was..." she took another deep breath, exhaling with a short laugh. "When we were all done I was planning on telling you that it was terrible. Just to see what you'd do."

"Hm?" He raised an eyebrow, not moving his lips away from her skin.

"But I don't think I could even _joke_ about that in good conscience right now."

He began to nibble her neck. "Mmm-hm," he replied, preoccupied in his act, and she shuddered beneath his touch.

"You're awfully quiet," she realized aloud, exhaling softly when Inuyasha's fingertips stroked her breast.

"Hm..."

"'Hm'?"

"Let's talk more when we're done."

Kagome's eyes widened. "There's more...?" A blush crept over her cheeks, and he smirked in reply,

_Keh. I've got _years _of this bottled up for you._ "...Not that you'll be _conscious_ afterwards." As he kissed her belly he glanced at her, noticing the shock on her face. He paused, blinking. "Unless, of course, you want me to stop?"

Suddenly her head jolted up, and she met his stare. "Stop?"

Inuyasha placed a kiss on her belly button. "Want me to?"

"Don't..."

* * *

"Stop! Inuyasha, please!" She stood next to him, gripping his arm, trying to push the brunette with glasses and fauxhawk away to safety. "_Allen-san, that's very sweet of you, but as you can see I'm dating someone."_

Frantic with fear, Allen nodded, scrambling away. "_I'm very sorry Miss Higurashi! Very sorry!"_

"I'll fucking kill you, you son of a bitch!" Inuyasha hissed as Allen ran to his car. "Kagome's fucking royalty; who the fuck d'ya think _you_ are?"

Sighing, Kagome released Inuyasha's arm, stepping forward to slip her arms around his waist. She was glad Allen didn't understand Japanese.

"If he thinks you're so desperate for that stupid contract... that guy's only an _assistant_ to a producer! I can sense a loser peon bitch anywhere, no matter what language he speaks!"

"Let it go."

--

A dull pain woke Kagome up before the sun could. With Inuyasha's arm draped over her waist she sat up, touching her fingertips to her ankle. Sure enough, it was sore again. She'd been careless the night before, and immediately felt bad that she'd wasted all of Inuyasha's efforts in the past few days to ease the pain.

Eventually, she felt a pair of hands pulling clumsily at her hips, and laid back down with Inuyasha as he mumbled for her in his sleep.

She hoped it would go away once she had to get up, but her ankle throbbed as Inuyasha kissed her in the shower. It still felt tender when he dried her hair afterwards, and throughout breakfast.

The mistake was to pretend that she felt okay. Though she brought her crutch to the party, she spent little time using it, putting more stress than necessary on her ankle. When the time came for Kagome to sing, the pain had worsened, affecting her performance. Her usual charisma wasn't there, in comparison to what she had delivered in rehearsal.

When her performance was critiqued, Kagome was shocked to hear that while coherent, her English was too accented to pass for pop, and that her lyrics sounded a bit awkward.

A woman in a black dress and twenty years her senior held Kagome's hands as she spoke. "_I love your look and your sound-- you're so gorgeous and graceful. However, the only problem we have is with your lyrics."_

_"Oh? Please let me know. I'd like to improve."_

_"They're grammatically correct, but... a couple of phrases here and there are just things that no English speaker would say. We can't sell this. But if the label takes off we would like you keep you in mind for phase two. We could fly you back out for negotiation when the time comes. You'd be able to sing in Japanese, too!_"

Uncomfortable with such casual contact from a stranger, Kagome pulled her hands away slowly and shook the woman's hand, bowing without even thinking about it. "_I'd appreciate that very much. Please keep me in mind._"

"_Aww, it's so cute that you're bowing! I really hope we can sign you later!"_

Kagome gave a nervous laugh. "_Thank you for your help and consideration._" In a way, she was thankful to be in a crowded room-- otherwise, she may have cried. When she returned to Inuyasha she told him what happened, and asked if they could leave.

Her manager was stunned to hear about everything. He knew she was having an off day, but couldn't quite figure out why until they began to head for their limousine. Before he could mention that she'd been walking slower than usual, Allen showed up, running after them.

"_Miss Higurashi, can I talk to you for a second?"_

_"Of course,"_ she answered.

In short, he offered to talk to his bosses in exchange for a date. Thinking that Kagome was only being shy as she declined, he made the mistake of kissing her on the cheek. Inuyasha managed to lift Allen by his neck before Kagome could intervene.

For the rest of the walk back to the limousine, Inuyasha collected Kagome into his arms, carrying her and her crutch. Even as they entered the hotel the hanyou would not allow her to walk, resting his cheek on her head as he brought her to her suite.

When he sat her on the bed, she began to undress, sighing a little to herself.

"Can I have my small suitcase, please?"

"Yeah."

Reaching into a Vuitton bag that Inuyasha had brought to her, she retrieved one of her negligee-- something black and lacy.

"Part of me is disappointed. I can't say this isn't a blow to the ego."

"All of Japan loves you anyway. Do you really need--?"

"Wait," Kagome interrupted. "I just want to get this out, you know? Oh, and turn around."

"Sorry," Inuyasha answered, a little red in the face as he complied.

"So," she continued, slipping her bra off. "I guess I'm not as good at English as we all thought. It's a bit of a shame."

"Yeah," her manager mumbled.

"But I think... I realize now that maybe I wanted to come here for a little change in my life. It was really fun to break the routine-- I had a good time here. Black or red, by the way?" Pulling the negligee over her head, she adjusted it a little, sliding its thin straps up onto her shoulder, before frowning and taking it off.

"People loved being around you," Inuyasha added. "I saw it during rehearsal a lot. Oh, and ...red?"

"That's good to know." Kagome reached her hand into the bag once more, retrieving a tiny bit of red lace-- panties, apparently, that she slipped on. "You know, when we get home I'm not even sure I know what I want to do next, but I feel like I've let go of a lot of baggage now. You can turn around now, by the way."

He turned back to her and froze, standing rigidly as his eyes shot down to the splash of red between her legs, and back up to her bare chest.

"I take it we're staying in on our last night here," he finally managed. "Last chance to tour L.A. You sure about this?"

"No offense, but I'm not too interested in what the city's got to offer right now. Unless _you_ wanted to go out?"

"... Say goodbye to those," Inuyasha practically growled, gesturing towards the red triangle of lace Kagome wore. His lips were already locked with hers, as he began removing his jacket and tie.

* * *

"Forget it," Kagome muttered just quietly enough for only Inuyasha to hear. "She won't go away."

"What?"

Holding eye contact with a stewardess, Kagome gripped Inuyasha's hand and raised the armrest between their seats. Inuyasha glanced at his girlfriend, and then over to the nosy stewardess who'd made little to no effort to hide the fact that she was staring at them for the last hour.

The pop star cuddled with her boyfriend, still staring back at the woman who was now moving her hand over her mouth, beginning to rush away.

"Kagome, what the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha fought to put the armrest back down, but Kagome would not let go of his arm. He didn't have the heart to pry her away while she was busy kissing his cheek.

"She's not getting away that easily. I don't give a damn anymore about what people think on this flight, I just want to lean on you like any normal passenger." Pressing the call button, Kagome grinned as the stewardess turned around to answer her, shoulders a little slumped as she walked.

"May I offer you anything, Okyaku-sama?"

"I'd like a rum and Coke, and my _boyfriend_ here would like a Sapporo, please."

"O-of course," the woman answered, trying to suppress any reaction to Kagome's proclamation. As she hurried away, Inuyasha began massaging his own forehead.

"What was that about?" The hanyou demanded after a few seconds.

"She was so obviously looking for a show that I decided to give her one," Kagome retorted, resting her head on his shoulder. "Hmm, when we get back, I'm going to debunk that engagement. And I want to do some lives, too."

"Like a tour?"

"I don't know," she laughed. "It'd just be nice to sing to people, I think. We don't need a fully-blown tourn; I can do smaller venues."

"Heh, if the venues are too small ticket sales are gonna result in a bloodbath."

"You flatter me," Kagome sighed, as the stewardess returned with their drinks.

* * *

"Had a good flight?" Miroku looked pointedly at Inuyasha, elbowing him in the stomach before gesturing to a trio of hired security guards to come closer.

"Whatever. When's dinner?" the half demon grunted, reshouldering a couple of bags. "Take these," he muttered, handing Kagome's purse and small suitcase to Miroku.

"How have things been here?" Kagome asked her agent, leaning a little harder on her crutch as she walked. "Insane?" When Miroku got quiet Kagome's walking subconsciously slowed down.

"Does it hurt?"

"Hm? No, no, Inuyasha, I'm okay," she replied, pushing herself to walk faster.

"This way, please" murmured a security guard, linking arms with another guard as he directed the pop star through a doorway.

After Kagome greeted Shippo he helped her into a white van with tinted windows. When everybody was seated Miroku sighed from the passenger seat, picking up something from the dashboard.

"I can't find an easy way to say this, so I just will."

Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other, and back at Miroku.

"An acquaintance of mine who writes at _Shunkan Shicho_ sent this to me. It'll be out tomorrow." He unfolded a stack of papers that looked like they'd been faxed, holding it so they could see. With a gasp Kagome immediately reeled away from the papers as if they were toxic. Her eyes went to Inuyasha, who was entirely too quiet for his own good.

"How did they get that?" She shrieked. She looked at Inuyasha, who was rubbing his forehead with one hand.

"From that reaction I can assume that this is authentic. Well, as far as we know the images were emailed. That's the most he could tell me."

"Give me that, please." Kagome took the papers, eyeing the headline slowly.

_Higurashi Kagome's Secret Lover! A Sudden Trip To America_

She stared at the accompanying photos: sequential shots of her and Inuyasha kissing against the wall outside of the House of Blues, including a blurry close-up of their faces in profile. Every celebrity who'd made a mark in Japan knew the day of the week that_Shunkan Shincho,_ a popular tabloid magazine, was released. Kagome cursed the fact that they'd opted for a flight that landed so late in the day, wishing she'd asked for the early morning flight. Would it be too late to arrange a press conference tonight?

Not even bothering to read the article she folded the papers, handing them back to Miroku. "Is there anything we can do to stop them?"

* * *

**Notes:**

One more time if you didn't see the notice up top-- the uncensored version's at Mediaminer. Links to my stuff is in my profile.

New updates to the Fade and Flare website-- cultural info on sexuality and other random stuff, and a drawing of Kagome's dress from last chapter. As usual, the address for the site is (remove the spaces XD): www. pinku. net/fadeflare

Just wanted to thank you guys for the general quality of reviews this time around! I really appreciate the insight and speculation because it lets me know what you guys are paying the most attention to.

Also, I didn't realize (until fallenangel7583 brought it up) that it's been three years since I've started posting this. WOW; I honestly thought this story'd be a quick little jaunt for a couple of months, tops. For those of you like her, who have been coming back to read since then, I'm very honored. Thank you for remaining interested, and even if you haven't been reading that long thank you for starting! The description is kinda damning since this type of premise has been done so I figure it gets skipped over a lot.

See you next time!


	15. 14: In the Genkan

­­Fade and Flare

Chapter 14

Inuyasha (at least the anime, anyway) is copyright Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Yomiuri Terebi, and Sunrise 2000.

* * *

**Notes:** Lemon starts in 5... 4... 3... 2... now. Uncensored version is at MediaMiner, though.

* * *

They hadn't really even entered Kagome's apartment yet. The front door was slammed shut and Inuyasha was setting down their luggage just outside of the entryway when Kagome threw down her crutch, idly watching it clatter against the floor among her shoes. 

A hand was on the wall for support, and she stood staring at a row of them: white pumps, white leather loafers, something strappy, something jeweled, spiked heels, wedge heels, sneakers, sandals. She stared down at the black ballerina flats she was wearing, and watched a tear land on them. Surprised, she blinked, shifting her gaze back to her other shoes, eventually sighing as more tears kept coming.

Inuyasha was so frustrated already, but held back from expressing it. When he first saw the photos of them enveloped in a private moment Inuyasha felt a strange pang of insecurity in his gut. Was this what Kagome constantly felt when she was out in public? He was quiet on the ride back to her apartment, slowly letting it drive him crazy. When he looked back over to Kagome, staring vacantly with tears in her eyes he snapped.

_Your woman is distraught,_ a menacing voice inside of him chided. _Gonna fucking wait 'till she's hysterical, or what?_

She sniffled, starting to wipe her eyes.

_Make it go away._

When her eyes met his he dove at her, holding her body against his as he kissed her hard, barely giving her a chance to breathe. His tongue sought hers as a hand slipped up behind her head, and he moaned when she shyly kissed back. When her hands slid around him, dragging fingers over the muscles in his back she kissed him harder, trying to expel her pain. Soon enough, the pair stopped to take breaths and heaved for air, only to be breathless again as they resumed. When Inuyasha broke apart from her, kissing tears off of her cheeks Kagome could only tip her head back, smiling as his hands slid up and down her hips.

This was why she loved him.

He nipped at her skin, moving to her neck. His hand slipped up into her shirt, in search of more flesh. The need to feel it against his was now urgent; his desire was tinged with a small degree of residual anger, and he growled beneath his breath, roughly pulling Kagome's shirt over her head.

Protesting was something that vaguely occurred to her, as she'd barely been able to keep up with Inuyasha's sudden frenzy. The young woman's eyes were wide as she raised her arms quickly to get the shirt off, a little shocked at the growl. Her arms came down just as fast and she watched how quickly her lover's eyes darted to her bust. His golden eyes glinted as her pale breasts shifted slightly with her movements and heaved as she inhaled.

"Wait," the young woman began to squeak, feeling a little bit of excitement and fear when she saw his expression. His emotions were often intense, she was used to that, but right now he was downright... predatory? A wild animal was about to devour her.

"No?" he growled with a soft laugh, and her heart fluttered at the gruffness of his voice. She could feel heat on her cheeks, spreading throughout the rest of her body as he licked his lips.

This was why she wanted him.

"What are you doing?" she squeaked almost inaudibly. His shirt floated to the ground, landing lightly around his ankles as the half demon cupped Kagome's breast through her black bra, kissing her cleavage, and running his free hand up her skirt. His wild gaze bore into hers as he freed a nipple, brushing it lightly with his teeth, flicking it with his tongue.

She watched him teasing her breast, aching for him, warm and sticky between her thighs as he suckled the tip, moving on to its twin. With quickened breaths her excitement grew when she felt fingers sliding up her leg, achingly closer to her heat, all too slowly for her. "Ah," was all Kagome could manage, offering herself to him with a short thrust of the hips. Glad to have taken a pill on the plane, she slid herself to the edge of the cabinet, grasping for him, running her hands over his shoulders, his chest, down his belly, and finally over the waistband of his jeans, releasing his fly.

A few kisses later Kagome's fingers slid into the hanyou's pants, wrapping around his hot, expanding flesh. Her tongue curled in the corner of her mouth, knees sliding further apart as he gripped her leg, silently begging for his touch.

"Damn it," he grunted, unable to handle his woman's ministrations for much longer.

--

Panting, they stared at each other, smiling as neither dared to move yet.

"Aw, man! Really? You two couldn't even wait to take off your shoes? _Really?_"

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he turned to the front door, still gripping Kagome's hips. Kagome's arm slid to her breasts, covering herself even though the gesture was more than futile.

"Miroku-sama..."

"Perverted bastard, _how_ fucking long have you been there?"

The pig-tailed man laughed, folding his arms. "No worries, I just opened the door. We were waiting downstairs, Inuyasha. You didn't say whether or not you were staying over tonight, so..."

"I TOOK MY LUGGAGE WITH ME, didn't I? Now get the fuck out!"

"Oh dear, you _did_, didn't you."

As Inuyasha scanned the room for something to throw Miroku quickly slammed the door shut. With a smirk, he kept his hand on the knob and opened it again, laughing to himself as Kagome screamed and covered herself again.

"Wh-what now?" Kagome nearly sobbed, mortified. She was grabbing for her shirt with her free hand.

He couldn't repress his grin. "Just wanted to ask. You guys only started sleeping together _after_ she left Hojo, am I correct?"

"Yes--" Kagome started to mumble before she was interrupted.

"That's none of your fucking business you fucking letcher! I'm gonna kill you if--"

Slamming the door shut, Miroku whistled to himself as he headed to the elevator.

* * *

"Sorry for the wait, My Friend," Miroku said to Shippo as he boarded the passenger seat of a white van. 

"He's staying," the fox demon affirmed, backing the van out of its parking spot.

"Mm-hm," answered the agent. After a few seconds of silence he pulled out his cell phone. "I'm calling the office right now, by the way."

"Oh?"

"The money. It's all mine. I won the bet."

Shippo braked suddenly, staring at Miroku. "Wait, what? No, that's crap! Some of that is mine, I told you _I saw_ them get to B before they went to Rosu!"

"_Only_ B. That's not sex. Sex, on the other hand, is what I saw five minutes ago," the dark-haired man replied with a smug grin.

"Don't you lie about this!" Shippo hissed.

"Really, I'm hurt that such a thought would come to your mind. They were going at it. Heavy. In the _genkan._"

"In the entryway?! Are you serious? A-and, It has to be C!" Shippo stuttered. "Dammit, I bet like 5000 on this!"

"Yeah, well you're an idiot," laughed Miroku. "And they were very obviously in the act. Screaming, and everything."

"In the entryway..."

"That's what _I_ said," laughed Miroku. "I was like, 'Really, you couldn't even wait until you took your shoes off?' Hah."

"Damn it, 5000 yen down the drain!" lamented the youkai as he started driving again.

"Don't worry, I'll buy you a parfait or something."

* * *

**Notes:**

- Actually, the most popular method of contraceptive in Japan is still a condom. Only a small percentage of women are on The Pill. Kagome's pretty trusting with her new partner... ;D

- "Rosu" in Japanese, is short for Los Angeles.

- A, B, and C refer to stages of intimacy (like our own baseball analogies for sex). A is kissing, B is petting, and C is sex.

- In case you didn't catch it, "genkan" is the word for entryway. You often have to step up out of a genkan to enter the actual living space of a house, once your shoes are stowed (or just placed neatly to one side). There are often cabinets/cubbies where house slippers (including extra pairs for guests) are kept, and some people just keep all of their shoes in the genkan. It varies. XD

- 5000 yen (or "go-sen-en," as it's said. I feel a little weird writing out "yen" even though it's correct in English XD; ) is (very) roughly fifty bucks American.

I guess I'll put these notes up on the site next time I update. As usual, thank you for reading! See you next time.


	16. 15: Consequences, Part 1

* * *

I guess I never said this before, but Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shonen Sunday, and more companies I'm too lazy to look up.

­­Fade and Flare

Chapter 15 (Part 1)

Inuyasha (at least the anime, anyway) is copyright Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Yomiuri Terebi, and Sunrise 2000.

* * *

**Notes:**

Ahhh, I wanted to avoid this, but I don't think I can anymore. Not if I want to keep bringing you guys more stuff to read, anyway without making you wait FOREVER. Sigh.

For the regular chapters (not counting that Christmas special or the short lemon chapters) I really valued presenting them in full segments. A chapter in this story is a set of milestones-- events that happen in sequences that I want to present together. Chapters aren't finished to me until all the events I need to happen occur within them.

...and this chapter isn't done yet! So I'm going to have to split it in half. You guys have been waiting patiently for so long. So...

* * *

"Inuyasha, I need to watch this! I need to see his face when he talks." Kagome fought off her manager and forced her way to the couch, taking a seat in between Sango and Shippo.

"Keh! Fine." Folding his arms, Inuyasha sank down onto a chair, across from Miroku. "To think that bastard wouldn't even fucking call us about this press conference. That shithead is dead to me. If I were driving and saw him crossin' the street I wouldn't brake."

"Now, now, Inuyasha," chuckled Miroku uneasily as he turned on Kagome's television. "I would go so far as to say that you possessed the same inclinations long before this fiasco started."

"WROOONG!" barked Inuyasha, pouring five cups of green tea. He stood to hand one to Kagome, kissing her forehead. "It woulda' made _her_ cry, Jackass." The young woman in question blushed, blowing into her cup to cool her tea.

"We've got to be delicate about this, Inuyasha," said Sango, leaning back for a moment to cross her legs. "You know what kind of a person Yuka is. It's no real surprise that she went so far as to hold a press conference without asking Kagome to participate. We need to stay on their good side to get out of this, so _no death threats_ from you, all right?"

"Ah, Sango, so beautiful and wise. She's right," hummed Miroku, winking at her as he sipped his tea. Frowning, Sango took a cup from Inuyasha, gulping quickly. With a sudden yelp she quickly deposited the cup onto the coffee table, fanning her tongue.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Well, we're practically fucked already. If we have to contradict a _thing_ he says tonight y'think anyone's going to take a press conference from Kagome seriously? Aren't you the least bit bothered that our entire game plan relies on what Shithead says on the news tonight? We're depending on the WORST person for anyone to depend on."

"Well, if we contradict him people might question _him_, too." interrupted Shippo. "Oh, and commercials're over."

Squeaking, Kagome clung to Sango's arm as they watched the T.V.

_Welcome back to NHK News. On today's Celeb Watch we continue our coverage of the Platinum Pair._

"She's hot," murmured Miroku, who grinned at the newscaster, a petite woman in her thirties with long, straight hair.

"SHH!"

Footage of Kagome's latest music video played, with a caption at the bottom of the screen: _Higurashi Kagome-san (23)._ Biting her lip, Kagome felt uneasy. She stared at the lower half of the screen, fixating on her name and age in such sterile looking white letters. Various shots of her music videos and commercials flashed in a montage as the announcer continued.

_On last week's MTV Asia Awards it slipped that popular musician Higurashi Kagome-san and actor Hojo had been secretly engaged. After public speculation about fighting between the couple, this came as a shock to some fans. _

_It should be no surprise that Higurashi Kagome-san's sudden disappearance and photos appearing in this week's _Shunkan Shicho_ have made waves in the entertainment industry. In response to photos of Higurashi-san with a male youkai identified to be an employee, a press conference was held this morning, with Hojo's manager, Hayashi Yuka-san issuing a prepared statement._

"Wait, _what_? That deranged bitch gets to talk?" growled Inuyasha. His eyes darted to Kagome, whose hand rest over her mouth as she watched the screen. "Where the fuck is that dickless ex-boy of yours?"

"He's behind her," answered Kagome a little quietly, pointing to a spot near Yuka's shoulder where half of Hojo's face could be seen. The shorthaired man stared down into his lap as flashbulbs strobed around them.

_"Hojo is unable to speak for himself, as this has come to be quite a shock," _Yuka began, casting a concerned gaze over Hojo, who glared, avoiding eye contact with his manager.

"I _knew_ it--" Inuyasha began to say.

"That... _cunt!_ She's going down! Why doesn't that candyass have a backbone?_" _Yelled Sango, who stood and shook a fist at the television. Shocked, Miroku's eyes darted to the stylist's wild expression while Kagome pulled on her arm, coaxing her friend back to the couch. Even Inuyasha was a little startled at the outburst, enough to calm down.

"She _is_ his backbone," Kagome mumbled. She returned her focus to Hojo who still looked angry as he stared at the ground. _Please,_ the young woman begged inwardly, _please tell me you didn't let her do this!_

_"While he will need some time to recover from this situation, Hojo still forgives Higurashi-san but is no longer able to prolong his relationship with her."_

When the news report ended Shippo covered his forehead with his palms, leaning into the back of the couch. "That's bullshit! This is crap! What the hell do we even _do_ about this?"

"First and foremost, we hire building security," answered Miroku. "Not just for this place, but for the Higurashi Shrine, too."

"Yeah. Fucking reporters are gonna have a field day hounding everyone if we don't call right now," continued Inuyasha, who refilled Kagome's tea. "I already feel sorry for your old lady and the shrine's patrons."

"Immediately, then." Miroku stood, retrieving his cell phone as he headed into another room.

"Actually," Sango chimed in, nudging herself out of Kagome's grip to follow the agent. "I'll go coordinate with you. I'd feel better if my younger brother's guys took care of this place."

With a raised eyebrow Miroku continued, heading for Kagome's music room. "Sango, are my charms finally wearing you down? Must you be near me this badly?"

"Hardly," she growled. "Our family business is relevant to this. Get that straight."

Inuyasha's cell phone was already dialing Yuka as Shippo stood, patting Kagome on the head.

"I wish I had important people to call, but the best I can do for you is wait until you need me."

"No, that's fine," she answered. "It was so sweet of you to come over today." Reaching into her purse, she handed Shippo twenty thousand yen. "Take Satsuki out to dinner."

"You don't have to do that, you know. Kagome... we're like family, right?" He tried to hand back the bills but Kagome folded her arms.

"Of course, Shippo-chan," laughed Kagome. "And that's why you should take that. I know from experience how sad it is to lose your boyfriend to his work. Go be with Satsuki-chan, and Inuyasha will call you if I need you."

"All right, you win. I'm off!" With a wink Shippo retrieved his keys from an end table and waved goodbye as he put on his shoes in the entryway.

As Inuyasha paced, waiting for Yuka to pick up, Kagome's cell phone rang. She raised an eyebrow, before snatching it up and heading to her bedroom when she read a name on its LCD display: _Hojo_.

--

"Hayashi, you bitch! Who the fuck do--"

"Oh, it's The Mutt. So how is she in bed, everything you dreamed of? Sweet and timid, and boring as hell, or a mind-blowing kinky slut?"

"Quit fantasizing about Kagome. I'd suggest that you sucked Hojo's dick to get him to shut up during that press conference, but you and I both know he's not into men."

"Go to hell!" It sounded like Yuka had pounded her fist on some hard surface. "What the hell do you think calling me's gonna do for you guys, anyway?"

"I'm wonderin' where the hell your common decency went! Kagome's not stealing your precious time with that bumbling tool you wish was a boyfriend, so why the lies? What the hell is this going to get you _now_?"

With a shrill laugh that caused Inuyasha's ears to flick uncomfortably Yuka answered. "Are you _high_? A real manager would jump at the opportunity to propel her client's popularity. How could you not figure that out?"

"The thought never occurred to me, seeing as Kagome's _legitimately_ talented." Inuyasha was grinning to himself as he listened to her seethe.

"Hojo's amazing, you bastard. What the hell do _you_ know about acting?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say about as little as _he_ knows." The hanyou sighed, seating himself on Kagome's couch to drink some tea. "Look, Hayashi, it's no secret that I think your Hojo's a shit-for-brains but even I wouldn't hurt that kind of client in the way you're about to. What the hell kind of phony popularity are you gonna get by making him look like a loser who can't even keep his girl?"

"As we speak his fanclub is already up in arms about how they're going to comfort their dear idol, who has been so unfairly wronged. It hasn't even been ten minutes since that news broadcast and already we've been called by two studios."

"Fuck it, what do I care what you do to your own talent? But you'd better take steps to curb that shitstorm you're about to cause or you and your precious boy are gonna have to contend with a defamation suit," the half demon growled, a little relieved that Kagome had left the room.

"In that case let's see whose word stands up against who's in court, Hanyou."

Clapping the phone shut, Inuyasha resisted the urge to throw it, gulping down his tea.

"'The _fuck_ does she get off callin' me 'Hanyou' like it's supposed to be an insult, anyway?" he mumbled. "That's just as retarded as me calling her, 'Human'. Keh!" Ruffling his own hair he stood and paced a little, ears swiveling towards muffled sounds of conversation coming from the music room. A pensive voice came from Kagome's room, in the opposite direction. Pausing a moment, he gazed at her doorway down the hall before heading over there.

"Please. Don't go out on your own and make any of this 'right' for me." The young woman rolled her eyes as Hojo spoke. "No! Just _stay out_ of it!" She paused, suddenly startled to see Inuyasha sitting next to her. When he draped an arm around her waist she leaned into the hanyou. "I'm not your business anymore!" Kagome yelled sharply, as if interrupting. "And if you mention me at all on T.V. or the radio without my permission I will NEVER forgive you. Do you _forget_ the things I said to you when we broke up? When will you understand?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched as he tried to pick up what Hojo was saying. He didn't have the chance to make out any words before Kagome interrupted.

"Just leave me alone," she said with a breathy sigh. She ended the call and placed her phone on the nightstand.

Without a word Inuyasha took her hand, pulling her onto his lap. He cradled her small body, resting her head on his shoulder while he kissed her cheek.

"I don't know what to do about him," she groaned, nuzzling into Inuyasha as he held her. She shifted, wrapping her arms around his body and raised her chin towards him when he moved to kiss it.

"We'll take care of it," the hanyou answered softly, leaning back to lay Kagome against her pillows. He slid down to join her, lying on his side to rest one arm across her waist.

"I know... I believe in you." Turning to face him, the young woman curled up against his chest, burying her face into his body as she slipped her arms around his waist. "We all count on you."

"But..." He didn't continue or elaborate, unable to find the right words as she pressed a kiss to his chest. The hanyou's fingers moved to her cheeks, bringing her lips against his to taste. A hand pressed into her waist to pull her closer, and he laid kisses down along her neck.

"Necking is what got you silly kids into trouble, you know."

"Eep!" Kagome jumped to her feet in shock. A corner of Inuyasha's mouth twitched, his exposed fang glinting as he raised his head to stare at the doorway.

With arms crossed, Sango took a step back moving further into the hallway when both Inuyasha and Kagome left her bedroom. As the four adults walked to Kagome's music room Sango coughed, cheeks slightly red after the awkward moment.

"Sorry, you guys." Kagome was also blushing, exchanging glances with Sango. "Got a little carried away."

"Completely understandable, Kagome-sama. I know that... _unquenchable_ desire to be with someone." Miroku chuckled, taking advantage of the moment to place his arm around Sango's shoulders. "Firsthand."

Sango blushed, moved as if she were going to hit Miroku, broke away from him, and rushed to a different corner of the room. "We'll just be on our way soon, seeing as I need to head downstairs and wait for my brother and his guys to get here. Miroku and I will set them up with a list of your current VIPs."

"You can get a hold of Sango, me, or her brother. Dearest Sango, please give Kagome-sama your younger brother's cell phone number?"

"Right here," Sango picked up a small slip of paper from a table and pressed it into Kagome's hand. "Anyway, call any of us to make changes to the VIP list when you need to."

"Thank you so much, you guys."

* * *

"I'm so sorry about this, Mama," Kagome sighed, feet propped up on her coffee table as Inuyasha massaged her ankle. "A lot of things have been happening, and I meant to tell you about them all." She chewed a piece of celery, embarrassment heavy on her face as she watched live footage of her childhood home on television. A jumble of suits, microphones, and cameras clamored. Police officers and members of the security staff that Sango and Miroku hired formed a human barrier at the steps of her family Shrine, blocking a horde of reporters and camera crews.

"On one hand, I've been hearing from Inuyasha-kun about Hojo-kun, so I knew you weren't doing so well. But Kagome, it would have been nice to hear this from you."

"I understand and I'm sorry. There's no excuse." Kagome took a moment to squeeze her boyfriend's arm, silently thanking him for the massage. "But at the very least, I can promise that if you hear something from Inuyasha, it's as good as hearing it from me."

Mrs. Higurashi could only laugh. "I suppose that's right. In a way Inuyasha-kun actually tells me a little more than you could ever say. But don't think I wouldn't prefer to hear my daughter's voice once in a while, either!"

Kagome's eyebrow rose as someone on T.V. managed to wrestle his way out of the crowd and up a few steps. She winced as he was tackled to the ground and dragged off-screen.

"He's... an excellent manager, isn't he?"

The younger Higurashi smiled at Inuyasha, squeezing his hand and bringing it up to her lips. "Yes, Mama." Caught off guard, his ears twitched, and her boyfriend blushed while taking a seat next to her on the couch. She suppressed a gasp as he nipped at her earlobe, trying to concentrate on her phone conversation. Kagome finally shook herself out of her thoughts despite the pair of strong hands now running up along her back. "Oh, that's right..."

"What's right?"

"If any of you need to go out, just tell the men at the door. They'll get a driver and escort you out the side entrance. And if there's anything else you need, give Inuyasha or me a call. Okay, Mama?"

"That's very kind of you, Dear. Listen, I've got to get dinner prepared. Jii-chan needs to eat before getting ready for bed."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later!" Tossing her cell phone onto the coffee table, Kagome groaned. "_God_, Inuyasha, how dare you!"

"What?" For the second time his ears twitched, and the half demon raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't doing anything!"

With a soft laugh, Kagome stretched against his body. "If not keeping your hands off of me means the same thing as 'not doing anything', right?" She pressed her lips against his jawbone. "Making me feel so good while I'm trying to have a coherent conversation? That's so cruel!"

He grinned, pecking her on the forehead. "Yeah, I'm pretty terrible."

Kagome laughed again. "You know what's terrible? The whole time we've been home, we've been cooped up in here."

"Well, _duh_," Inuyasha answered. "It'd be stupid to go out right now."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She bit her lip. "But I can't deny that a change of scenery might be calming right about now."

Voices of the television announcers buzzed in the background as the pair silently lay together. Longingly, Kagome glanced at the screen once more and looked back at Inuyasha, flattening her lips together. He frowned in response, shrugging his shoulders.

Minutes passed by in the same silence. As Inuyasha massaged her back, Kagome played with his shirt collar, and the couple gazed at the T.V., gradually losing interest when the news changed topics. The sedate aura of the room was suddenly broken when a commercial screamed, "Pizza-La!" forcing Inuyasha to raise his head quickly.

"Junk food," Kagome gasped sadly, reaching towards the screen for emphasis.

Inuyasha began to moan in response, but stopped himself as his girlfriend stared quizzically at him.

"Konomi-pan," she whispered, before lying her head back down. "Ooh! Soba pan..."

"Konomi? Do they even have okonomiyaki pan anywhere _near_ here?"

"I don't know, but they definitely have cheese cream pan..."

Damn it, she was too good at pushing his buttons.

"Hey. Got any extra hats?" His stomach gurgled.

"Um... yes?"

"Wanna maybe... hit a convenience store? Just real quick."

Kagome didn't even allow Inuyasha to finish speaking before leaping up to find some hats in a cabinet. "Yes, _please_." She returned, tossing a black trucker cap to her boyfriend and began gathering her hair, preparing to wear most of it under her own hat.

"Sunglasses," he mumbled, tying his hair into a ponytail.

"Yours are with your wallet and keys," Kagome answered, heading to her coffee table. She picked up a large pair of round sunglasses, putting them on, and rushed over to the entryway.

"Call up Sango's little brother and let him know what we're up to."

"Already dialing Kouhaku-kun," laughed Kagome, as she looked for a comfortable pair of shoes.

* * *

"Kouhaku-kun, it's been forever since I've seen you. Wow, I can't believe you're already twenty!"

"Thanks again for the birthday present you sent, Kagome-nee-san. It's nice to see you." Raising a hand to stop Kagome and Inuyasha as they approached him, the tall young man with freckles and short black hair gestured to his two assistants to follow him. They'd decided to head through a back exit of the building used by maintenance workers and other employees. The trio disappeared out a door to inspect things while Kagome and Inuyasha waited, and returned again.

"You look so cool in a black suit, Kouhaku-kun." Kagome smiled as one of Kouhaku's employees, a man with bleached hair and a Hawaiian shirt led her to the sidewalk.

"Nee-san, don't tease me like that," laughed Kouhaku. He nodded towards Inuyasha to follow. "Are you sure you just don't want us to drive you? It'd be safer, you know."

"Yeah, we're sure," answered Inuyasha. "I think we just needed help out of the building." He handed Kagome her sunglasses and put on his own as they walked down the street.

"Besides," the young woman continued, taking her boyfriend's hand. "It's just a short walk. I just wanted to wander outside of my cage for a little while."

"I can understand that," answered Kouhaku. "Well, definitely give us a call if you need some help. We're going back to help out again at the front entrance. Let us know when you're ready to go back inside!"

"Thanks, Kid. We got your number." Continuing down the street, Inuyasha waved goodbye.

Gripping her boyfriend's hand, she swung hers back and forth as they walked. Fingers of cool air brushed over her cheeks, and she directed her gaze to the familiar buildings of Shinjuku panning overhead. They darkened gradually against a cool blue sky-- night would come soon. In the midst of late spring the weather wasn't as searingly hot or sticky as a summer evening would have been, but it was not yet warm enough to forego wearing a sweater.

When they turned a corner, Kagome leaned into Inuyasha, glancing at a cherry tree. They'd completely missed their chance to view the cherry blossoms this year, she immediately realized. Last year they'd shared a beer on a small patch of grass in between takes at a commercial shoot. They gazed over a trailer and a sea of studio employees at Yoyogi Park, at a faraway row of trees, pink with petals, toasting with plastic cups.

Hopefully next year they'd remember on time. Maybe Sango, Shippo, and Miroku would be there, too.

"Eee, I'm so excited!" she suddenly squealed.

"What? Why?"

Laughing, Kagome straightened her sunglasses. "Because we're gonna get to eat some junk!"

"Keh. You're retarded sometimes, you know that?" Smirking, Inuyasha noticed goose bumps on Kagome's arm. He released her hand and draped it around her shoulder.

"Like you're not?" she shot back with her own smirk.

"You... go to some of the finest restaurants in the world. But right now you're happy for some shitty two hundred yen soba bread."

Kagome pecked Inuyasha on the cheek. "Soba-pan _and _a beer! Don't forget that!"

"Ooh, extravagant." The hanyou rolled his eyes. He placed a hand on Kagome's lower back, ushering her into the 7-11 they'd reached.

"Welcome," a girl behind the counter mumbled, as she opened a box. She glanced at the couple for a moment before focusing her attention back to the stack of magazines she needed to stock. "Please look around."

With a shopping basket in hand Kagome removed her sunglasses to scan the aisles until she located the bread.

"Hey. What d'ya want?" Inuyasha stood a few meters away, at the drink aisle.

"Boss Seven and a Kirin, please! Oh, and yuzu sorbet." Grinning, the young woman turned back to the bread, until Inuyasha appeared next to her. He bent to place his items in her shopping basket, dropping a kiss on her shoulder as he straightened. "Look, Inuyasha, they've got--"

"No, _you _shut up, Katou!"

"Tsuyoshi-kun, are you gonna let him talk to me like that?!"

They blinked. The store clerk welcomed a rambunctious group of high school students: two boys (kitsune youkai) and three girls, as they burst into the store. Kagome gasped a little, looking down at the bread. She hid her face beneath the bill of her hat, a black fedora, and finished her sentence as the teenagers loudly teased each other.

"So they've got strawberry margarine-pan! Which do you think is better, strawberry margarine, or cheese cream for dessert?"

"Keh, like it matters to me." Loading up on pizza bread, Inuyasha folded his arms. "What happened to the soba pan?"

"I said dessert," she giggled, putting both into the basket. As a group of salarymen entered, the couple moved to the counter to pay.

"Will this be all?" The girl at the counter asked, scanning barcodes and placing the items in a bag.

"Yes," Inuyasha answered, growing a little uncomfortable when a couple in their twenties entered, also welcomed by the store clerk. Even the fringes of Shinjuku got crowded when the sun went down. Soon this convenience store would be just as bustling as the streets, once all of the bars and restaurants opened for the night. The lovers had to leave.

"Two-thousand, four hundred and thirty yen, please." As Inuyasha pushed a five thousand yen bill across the counter the shop girl grabbed a few napkins and a spoon for the sorbet. Despite her expediency, she wasn't fast enough for the half demon's comfort.

Kagome could sense Inuyasha's restlessness and tapped her toe impatiently, watching the shopkeeper count out the change. Through her sunglasses her stare met with the younger girl's, as the girl turned towards them to pass the money over, and in a split second Kagome realized what was happening. The clerk paused, glancing down at the magazines she was stocking earlier. Kagome and Inuyasha's infamous photos were plastered across the front cover. When the girl looked at the couple a second time she gasped audibly.

"Oh! Are you Higurashi Kagome-san?"

"No, definitely not." The pop star tried to laugh things off but even she wasn't convinced by her tone of voice. She could feel more eyes on her.

"Oh my God, and she really has a lover!"

"What? Who is that?"

"Keep the change," growled Inuyasha. He grabbed Kagome by the wrist, running out of the store. The pop star managed to grab their shopping bag as she was pulled behind him.

"Kya!" Kagome dragged her feet, desperately trying not to fall, as the couple rushed into an alarmed group of bystanders. Her fedora flew off, but she could pay no mind at this point, trying to run as fast as Inuyasha. "I'm gonna trip--"

"Higurashi-san, can we have your autograph?"

"Damn it!" Inuyasha glanced back, annoyed when he saw the two fox youkai on their heels. Teenagers were annoyingly energetic. "Go hit on some chicks in training bras!" the half-demon snarled back at them; one boy pulled out his cell phone to take their photo. "Kagome, get on my back."

For a split second he crouched, ducking low to latch his arms around her legs. "Hold on tight," he said, and Kagome laced her arms around her lover's shoulders. He ran through a crowd of commuters exiting a train station, and leapt over a few people crossing the street.

The hanyou glanced backwards over his shoulder. "Damn, they're still behind us..."

"Inuyasha, car!" gasped Kagome.

"Son of a--" he leapt high, causing Kagome to scream. Her grip tightened before he landed on the roof of a two-story shop building.

"Get us down!" His girlfriend howled.

"Keh, shut up and trust me!" The fox demons were gaining on them. Why were they so persistent? Glancing around, Inuyasha spotted the building he was looking for-- the local kouban. He leapt down onto the street in front of it, making sure to land loudly. Pausing for a second, he caught his breath.

Kagome blinked at Inuyasha and over to the police officers inside. Stretching awkwardly, she bent to remove a shoe.

"Whatcha' doing back there, Kagome?"

"Helping," she giggled. Releasing one arm she waited for the teenaged youkai to approach before throwing her shoe at the door. "Go, go, run!"

"Yeah, yeah." Inuyasha grinned, leaping onto the roof of the kouban as he heard some police officers clamoring to get outside. He watched the boys follow them as he climbed onto some higher buildings.

Kagome was screaming. "Too high, we're gonna fall!"

"What the hell's your problem? We're only up like seven stories, Bitch!"

"Where's your camera? There they are!"

"Falling from _one_ floor is dangerous, you jerk! And that 'Bitch' had better mean, 'Woman!'"

"Wha--?" The half demon was flabbergasted. "You should know that it's a God-damned compliment!"

"Hey! What do you kids think you're doing?" A police officer, also a youkai, leapt up behind the two high school-aged fox demons, pulling them down to the street.

"Come to think of it, you only call me that when you're yelling at me!" Kagome wasn't sure if her legs were trembling because she was upset or scared.

"Like I'd let you fall!" Inuyasha used some narrow ledges for leverage as he ran up the side of a higher building.

"People fall even when they try not to, Inuyasha!" Forgetting about their pursuers she made the mistake of looking down, just as cars began to shrink from sight. "Eep!" Kagome tried not to think about where they were, but had problems getting any other ideas into her head. Inuyasha stopped listening to her. He wanted to keep climbing!

She really tried not to panic, and she tried not to think about how she was now having trouble making out the people on the ground. However she couldn't pry her eyes away from the streets below. Kagome's heart pounded, and the terrified woman could practically feel each frenzied heart beat coursing through her veins. The pavement, meters and meters away now, began to blur.

"H-how high are we going, anyway? Can't we go back down now?" With trembling hands she tried to tighten her grip around Inuyasha's shoulder, but her fingers were beginning to rebel against her. Her palms began to sweat, and eventually Kagome felt her hands slipping.

"I just got an idea, so... sudden change of plans. We're almost there."

"Where?" Not wanting to say much else, Kagome's grip became more frantic as she tried to hang onto her boyfriend.

"What's wrong? You're panicking."

"Is that so tough to fathom?" she nearly shrieked in reply. "I'm terrified and my damned hands aren't cooperating! I'm just trying not to fall backwards, okay?"

When Inuyasha's hands tightened beneath her thighs she nearly jumped. "In this instance, you have to calm down and trust me, Honey."

She couldn't believe it; this wasn't the time for a lesson in principles! Kagome wanted to sob. "What the hell kinds of games are you trying to play, here?" In her sudden anger, Kagome forgot about the staggering height of the building they were climbing. Immediately her hands clenched, and she fought the urge to slap him.

"You... think this is some kind of stupid trust exercise? Do you really think my ego needs that kind of petting?" With a final leap, Inuyasha hefted them over the railing, onto the roof of the skyscraper before carefully releasing her onto the cement floor below. "Where the hell does _that_ come from?"

"Well, where the hell does suddenly running to... wait, are we in Shibuya?"

"Yes!"

"Well, where the hell does suddenly running to-- to some random building.., hey, I recognize this view... isn't this where I looked at an apartment-- never mind! My point is, what the hell made you want to travel here, _on foot_?" Speaking of feet, Kagome remembered that she was missing a shoe. Frowning, the annoyed young woman squatted on the ground to rub some warmth into her frigid foot. She tried not to notice the ridiculous amount of wind that tossed her hair in all directions.

"Like it? The view?"

Frowning, Kagome nodded, trying not to notice the perfectly manicured bonsai trees sitting in rows along the perimeter of the space, or the smaller planters of various white flowers, framing a glass patio door. From between Inuyasha's ankles her eyes caught the edge of a fountain and wanted to run to it, but she pointedly glared at her exposed toes instead.

"I thought we could eat our food here." Taking a couple of steps to where Kagome crouched, he took her hand, leading her to a marble bench against the building, relatively well protected from the wind. The awning it sat under was covered in white climbing roses, and as Kagome passed beneath it, she raised a hand towards them, brushing a low-hanging flower with her fingertip.

"Are we even supposed to be here?" Whose place is this, anyway? Taking a seat, Kagome reached for her food while Inuyasha walked to the glass patio door. While she kept a wistful gaze on the flowers above he located a keypad next to the door and punched in a code with what looked like practiced ease. The door clicked, and Inuyasha slid it to one side.

"Yeah, it's fine. Nobody's home for a couple of weeks, I think."

"Who's... place is this?"

"Some guy I know. He's kindova dick, but whatever."

"You sure we should stay, then?" The young woman's voice grew louder as she watched her boyfriend disappear inside.

"Yeah, it's fine." The half demon came out, with a pair of black socks in hand. He kneeled at Kagome's feet as she attacked her sorbet, slipping the soft fabric over her toes. "All better?"

"Only if you come eat with me," his girlfriend answered, crossing her legs. "And thank you, by the way." As Inuyasha took a seat next to her, she leaned into him while he unwrapped a piece of pizza bread.

"Keh."

The expanse of buildings around them dimmed with the sky, and bit by bit their view of the city was dotted with lights from windows, streetlights, neon signs, and stars. Once Kagome finished her bread she popped open her can of beer. Inuyasha intercepted it before she could drink, taking a couple of sips.

"Hey, no fair! The first sip's always the best..."

Smirking, he wrapped his arm around Kagome's shoulder and held the can to her lips. The young woman rolled her eyes before drinking. When she swallowed, Inuyasha pulled her to him, pecking her on the lips.

"Come on now," he said, moving in to kiss her one more time. "The next are pretty good too, aren't they?"

Before she could answer, the patio lit up. The bonsai trees and roses she'd been admiring had been strung with miniature white lights, and now they glowed softly against the tiny beads of light. Kagome gasped. A light in the fountain also came on, illuminating the slim jets of water shooting up from its center that now reflected sharp shards of light all over the yard.

"...Yeah." Shivering a little, Kagome rubbed her arms. "Are you _sure_ it's okay we're here?"

"Mm-hmm," answered her boyfriend. Placing the can down beneath the bench, the hanyou gripped the human woman's shoulders, giving her an even longer kiss than previously. She kissed him back, using the opportunity to burrow into him, warming her fingers as she knotted them in his shirt.

"I see," she whispered, shivering a bit from increasingly cold gusts of wind.

"You're freezing. Let's go inside," Inuyasha cooed, taking her hand as they stood.

"You're sure it's okay--"

"For the last fucking time, it's _okay_, Honey." He was laughing as he led her inside, her hand in his. He closed the door behind them. Illuminated softly by patio lights outside Inuyasha kept his hold on Kagome's hand, leading her to a cushioned bench, at the foot of a large bed. With an eyebrow raised she took a seat, and leaned into Inuyasha again when he joined her.

Kagome sighed. "The view isn't so different from what I've got at home, but that area outside... it's _amazing!_ I don't think the place I looked at in this building was as huge, but why were you so against me living here?" She slid down to her side, resting her head on Inuyasha's lap while she gazed outside.

"Firstly, this is the owner's place." Inuyasha bent to kiss Kagome's ear, and when she turned to look up at him he moved his lips over hers.

"Oh."

"And as ya' already know, the owner's a dick. Wouldn't want to deal with him." Momentarily sliding out from under her, Inuyasha rolled himself onto the bed with Kagome, spooning her.

"Mmm," Though the young woman registered what her boyfriend had said, she was fading fast. Inuyasha's lips were pressed into the back of her neck, and not much time passed before one of his hands slid up from her waist, palms massaging her breasts. She'd completely forgotten what they were even talking about once Inuyasha's free hand slid down between her thighs.

* * *

**Notes:**

Firstly-- wow, two award nominations while I've been in limbo-- thank you guys so much! It's always nice to be appreciated. :D

Okay, so like I already said, I might have to release shorter chapters if it means I can get them out to you guys faster. Of course I'm not talking about next-day turnaround, but I think the closure will make me move along a little easier, too.

Just to make things clear right now, the "regular" (regular means not lemons, holiday specials, or other short flashback types of "special" chapters there could be) will never be, like, two pages in word. They'll still be substantial, but just not this EPIC length that tends to keep happening in this story's later parts.

Now, where the hell have I been this year? Hm. Went to Japan in Jan/Feb and then again in June. The business that my husband and I are running is EXTREMELY busy. I can't even believe how much work we have, and just this week in between my actual design work I've had to conduct some interviews. Have never had this much responsibility in my life, and it's pretty scary sometimes. OH, and SCHOOL. Will I ever finish...

Next time! It's partially written out already, so look forward to the next half of this chapter! Thank you guys so much for reading, and sticking with me all this time. Wow, sorry, too busy to deal with cultural notes and post sketches (not sure if I even have any, yikes), but the story's the most important part anyway, right?

Damn, I miss Japan's convenience stores. Could totally do with some strawberry margarine bread or Consomme flavored Pringles. D:


	17. 15: Consequences, Part 2

Fade and Flare

Chapter 15 (Part 2)

Inuyasha (at least the anime, anyway) is copyright Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Yomiuri Terebi, and Sunrise 2000.

* * *

Just so you know, like with all chapters involving explicit sex, a significant chunk of this chapter (the smut!) was cut for this site, so if you want to read it head on over to my Mediaminer page (check my profile for the link). ;D This version's still got some sexually themed stuff, but the details aren't there.

* * *

"I'm home," he mumbled instinctively, shedding his shoes in the entryway. He didn't expect to be heard-- outside, a handful of employees who were always at his house goofed off together. They greeted him quite loudly.

It also seemed that somebody left the stereo playing inside.

"Welcome home, Kouhaku." A feminine voice echoed from around the corner where he couldn't see, startling him a little.

"Sango-nee-san," the young man grinned, heading in the direction of the living room where his older sister sat. "What are you doing here?"

Facing their father's stereo speakers, she had one elbow propped against a short table with her legs splayed across the tatami floor. As he took a seat across from her, kneeling on his knees he reached for her cup of tea, taking a sip.

"Brought some cake. You spent a long night taking care of Kagome-chan, so I wanted to treat you for being such a kind little brother!"

"Uh, just doing what I needed to do..." Kouhaku blushed a little-- though Sango was half-joking he truly looked up to his older sister, always happy when she praised him. "So where is it?"

"Oh." Sango moved as if she were going to get up, but stayed sitting, transfixed with the heavy guitar music shooting from the speakers. The younger sibling blinked at his sister.

"Nee-san. Is there cake in the kitchen?"

"Yeah." Sango made the same moves again, sitting back down. "Hey, I'll get it when this song ends."

"Right... sure, that's fine." He was silent for a second. "...Punk, is it?"

The corners of his older sister's open mouth curled up, and she nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll be right back."

A plate was placed on the table next to her elbow, and Sango blinked a few times. "That was fast. I didn't even notice you getting up."

Her younger brother smiled a little, positioning a knife over strawberry shortcake. "That must be an amazing CD. I didn't know you liked punk."

"I don't dislike punk. But... this CD's great. To be honest whoever produced the album wasn't too skilled but you can't hide the band's abilities. The guitar's to die for-- really, um, visceral and energetic like punk should be, but also really melodic. It's catchy as hell." Sango reached for her brother's plate, and then took the knife out of his hands, cutting the dessert into six even slices. Without a word she took her brother's plate, neatly centering a piece onto it before handing it to him. She then filled up a glass of iced tea for him before serving herself. "I'm no record producer, but she could have gone big with stuff like this."

"She?"

Having devoured her piece of cake, Sango's empty plate rattled as it was practically thrown onto the table. "How was work?"

With wide eyes Kouhaku refilled his older sister's iced tea. "Kagome-nee-san was missing a shoe."

For the first time Sango diverted her attention away from the music, turning to face her younger brother. "What?"

Kouhaku's cheeks reddened again, and he looked down at his plate while pushing a small bite of cake back and forth. "To tell the truth, when I first saw photos of Kagome-nee-san and Inuyasha-san together, I was a little shocked. I've always known her as Hojo's girlfriend. Up until you called me to work I thought the photos were doctored."

"Yeah, I can understand that." Against her better judgment Sango served herself another piece of cake. "It's not like you or anyone else saw Kagome-chan as much as we did. It was natural to us, but to people who weren't there... did you feel as betrayed as everyone else?"

A sudden understanding washed over Kouhaku's face, and he stopped playing with his cake. "I... think so! It was like none of us could see this coming, because whenever you turn the TV on, either one or both of them were on together, and on news reports people couldn't help but mention one without the other. Like they were trying so hard to show everyone what a wonderful couple they were.

"And that's what I bought into! People on the street, and even some of our own guys say it was a little underhanded to capitalize on that. If I think about it a little more, it's, like, I wanted to tell Kagome-nee-san that it was irresponsible to mislead people. There are fans out there who'd walk into Hell if she asked them to, and they buy anything with her name or face."

Forcing herself to slow down as she ate, Sango rest her fork onto her cheek, looking thoughtful. "No, I know what you mean. With some of the letters that Kagome-chan gets, it's pretty clear when someone is buying her music because they love this fantasy that the she and Hojo fought together against the world to become stars. Inuyasha's known because he's her manager, and people generally know what managers do, but people don't really credit who they don't see. They don't realize how much of it was really Inuyasha and Kagome against the world."

"I never thought of that before," Kouhaku mumbled, playing with his food again. "Today, I felt a little bad because I almost felt like these reporters we were trying to keep away from Kagome-nee-san deserved an explanation. They're confused and curious because the fans are, I thought. But you know what?"

"Hm?"

"Kagome-nee-san's never had so much trouble before, I mean, in her career, right? For some reason tonight she was missing a shoe when they came home, and Inuyasha was carrying her, and we walked her through the back up to her apartment. And..." A blush crept across the young man's cheeks as he watched the bouncing equalizer on the stereo.

The blush didn't go unnoticed. Sango raised an eyebrow, leaning over the table to point a fork at her younger brother. "You... you're so red!" she laughed. Her laughs grew louder when Kouhaku's face grew redder. "Do you have a crush on Kagome-chan?"

"What? No!" Embarrassed, Kouhaku turned away. "I was just about to say... she's always been really pretty."

Sango rolled her eyes.

"It's not like that!" Exasperated, Kouhaku ate his last bite of cake. "Her shoe was missing, and she wasn't made up or wearing anything special, but I've never seen her look prettier than she did with Inuyasha-san."

Sango laughed, pinching the young man's cheek with one hand. "Kouhaku, you've really grown up, haven't you?"

"Why's everyone talking to me like I'm a little kid tonight? First Kagome-nee-san, and now you-- I only handled security for a couple of buildings, one being a major shrine with a ton of entrances. Nothing special, or particularly difficult when rabid fans and reporters are involved!"

Kouhaku's outburst was answered with a hand on his head. "I get it, I get it. Big, strong Kouhaku did a good job today. Want some more big strong cake?"

Scowling, the young man nodded as he held out his plate.

* * *

They'd barely been back in Japan for a week, unable to leave the house due to paparazzi and other prying eyes until this evening, which had proven to be a fiasco.

But their convenience store outing wasn't a total disaster. Inuyasha didn't intend to take her in someone else's home, and on someone else's bed earlier that night, but Kagome just smelled so delicious! He loved her scent when she was slightly riled up. She'd been dragged up the side of a building, missing a shoe, and had her favorite first sips of beer from a fresh can stolen. The tension turned him on, maybe it was why he picked so many fights with her, and recently the half demon learned what a pleasure it was to soothe those feelings of good-natured turmoil away. So he took her-- If anything Inuyasha thought he'd be thoroughly sated afterward. It was so easy to nip at Kagome's neck and coerce her panties around her ankles, after all. Later they'd return to their senses, lying together exhausted, just as always.

Being shut in for a week didn't always leave much to do. After days spent watching celebrity news shows or on the phone with Miroku, what else was there to do besides... well, Kagome? There was nothing for him at his own home, and she never denied any of his advances. In fact, she'd incited half of their lovemaking, easily. As sweet and proper as she acted in general, the young woman was startlingly ravenous when she was alone and naked with him.

Was she like this with her last boyfriend? Was she practically sex-crazed because she wasn't like this with Hojo? It might explain why her shyness faded quickly, as did the formality of protesting each time Inuyasha kissed between her legs.

Deep down, however, things this good were suspect to Inuyasha. Each time Kagome nibbled along his jaw, or tugged his shirt open, he waited for the catch. When they returned to her apartment after their extended jaunt to the _conbini_, Inuyasha cradled Kagome in his arms as Kouhaku and his men escorted them to the door. She'd kicked off her newly-orphaned shoe in the entryway and pushed Inuyasha onto a couch in the living room, straddling his hips as she bent down to kiss him.

_You'd think she'd be sick of this,_ he mused, as his hands slipped beneath her shirt. When his fingers found their way beneath her bra she shivered, and he wondered how watching her react to his touch was always so exciting.

"You don't wanna rest?" the half-demon chuckled. "We just did this how long ago-- an hour, tops? Don't you ache or something?"

She bit lightly across his collarbone, hot breath swirling across his skin. With a couple of wet kisses she replied, still engrossed in her task. "We did make love. But now I want to _fuck_."

_Oh my God_... He couldn't even finish that thought. Kagome's hands made quick work of his shirt and slid beneath his tank top underneath, pushing the ribbed fabric up as she caressed his skin. Her fingertips explored the crevices of his chest and were followed by her lips, as she slid lower along his body. Before Inuyasha realized what was happening, a light gust of air made him shudder, and Kagome's fingers had disappeared into his open fly.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" Kagome purred, caressing him with her hands. She regarded him with a smoldering stare. Inuyasha tried to hold her gaze, but when her tongue flickered from behind her lips, lashing up across his skin in a brief greeting, the half demon's amber eyes betrayed him, rolling into the back of his head.

--

He was about to peak now-- she could tell by his restless movements. The single-minded desire for release that came so strongly after a certain point in their lovemaking was so blinding and sudden. Kagome watched Inuyasha begin to reach this...

...And then she stopped. With all of the willpower she could muster Kagome stood, a small smile carved lightly into her features.

It took a few seconds for Inuyasha to speak, still reeling from her touch. His mask of desire was quickly replaced with confusion, and he looked at her for a second.

"Aah!" Frustration was clear in his voice. "Kagome, wha... what the fuck?"

She turned, beginning to walk away, but she couldn't hide her scent from Inuyasha-- she was still very aroused. "That's all you get."

He watched for a moment, slightly irritated. "What? ..._What?_" When she giggled, a soft growl began to rumble in his chest, and he finally stood, following her into the music room. She knew he'd do this, and she knew how he'd react.

She giggled again, poking her tongue out at him. "For scaring the hell out of me tonight, that's all you get." Kagome attempted to sit at the piano, but Inuyasha moved too fast. Yanking both of her wrists over her head, he pulled her to her feet.

"You've gotta be some sort of professional cock tease," he growled. He kissed her hard, barely giving her room to gasp. By the wrists, he dragged her to the window-- it was the nearest surface he could lean against. The half demon pinned her roughly against thick glass that overlooked Shinjuku.

"Sorry, Inu-chan, did I rile you up?" She finally answered when her breath returned.

He responded with a sharp, "Keh!" before devouring her lips with his own again. "You've been teasing me on and off for years. D'ya honestly expect to get away with it now?" He shed his clothes, pressing his body against hers as he exhaled audibly. "Fuck that."

"Ah," she answered, trying to maintain her composure as she sized him up. Her eyes dragged up along his chest rising with each of his breaths, caressing each muscle, tracing the lines in his collarbone, moving up past his neck which swallowed slightly, over his lips that sat in a cold grin, and finally stopping when their eyes met. His fiery gaze pierced her own. Kagome's heartbeat pounded in her ears. She was excited and perhaps a little fearful of what he would do next. This wasn't lost on him.

"What's wrong?" He chuckled, speaking in a low voice. "Nervous now? That little heart of yours is gonna beat itself right out of your _chest_." He punctuated his last word with a strong tug, and ripped Kagome's shirt in half, peeling it off of her heaving chest.

The young woman gasped, watching Inuyasha bite the exposed curve of her breast. There was a short, dull ache followed by relief, as he lapped his tongue over the light mark he made. From here he didn't have further to move, and nosed down into her bra. She shivered, pressing her thighs together in a futile attempt to calm herself.

"Stay still," he growled, using one hand to pin both of her wrists against the window, while using the other to slash across her bra and pants. "I don't want you wandering away again." He ripped a pair of black cotton panties off of her as well, tossing the ruined fabric into the pile behind him. When he resumed his attention to her breasts, Kagome let out a soft gasp, arching her body towards her lover. His response was immediate.

"I said stay _still_!" He wasn't about to let this go unpunished.

--

Inuyasha watched Kagome's shoulders shake beneath him. Her pristine skin glowed blue from the inky sky, underneath clinging strands of black hair. The clean scent of her flesh enticed the hanyou closer until his kisses had unwittingly returned to her shoulder.

His lips pressed along its contour, and he progressed closer and closer to the back of her neck until he was nuzzled into her hair, murmuring endearments as he kissed her. One of his hands gripped her waist, and the other cupped a breast as he whispered to her, watching her struggle to answer.    She was drunk on his touch, barely coherent or able to process his soft words. He spoke of her scent, her skin, the curve of her hips.... it was all too much to keep up with. Without having to make out her lover's words, the low hum of his voice alone was enough to get lost in, but he was also holding her, and moving against her. The rhythm of his words and dance of his ministrations made her quiver, deliciously helpless as she entrusted herself to him.

"D-don't stop," she finally mustered.

He answered, first with a soft nip at her ear.

--

It must have been early in the morning. Though they didn't quite make it back to a bedroom, Inuyasha and Kagome were now situated on her living room couch, exhausted, cozy, and barely drifting off to sleep to a murmuring television. From behind the vertical blinds the sky outside was glowing in a cool blue, slowly lighting the room as the sun began to rise. In another hour perhaps the streetlights would turn off; Inuyasha wondered if he'd fall asleep before it became too bright outside.

Beneath an ivory colored fleece blanket Kagome lay on top of her lover, still naked against his bare chest, steadily growing drowsy.

"Inuyasha..."

"Yeah?" He answered, pressing her free hand to his lips.

"I guess you're still awake?"

"Mm-hm," he sighed, running a finger up along her back. "But totally comfortable."

She smiled, nuzzling into him. "All I really want to do lately is hide from everything and lay here with you. If you keep ripping up my clothes like that it's all I'll be _able _to do."

The half demon chuckled, placing a kiss on her crown. "Get some rest." A grin sat on his face as he watched her smile and sigh.

She traced a finger across his chest. "Wouldn't that be fun? I could go on hiatus, and we'd head back to Cebu, or Rosu. Oh! We could go somewhere you haven't been to like... San Francisco? New York?"

"Shh."

Kagome yawned. "Or we could just hide here for a few months." She laughed to herself a little, running a fingertip across Inuyasha's collarbone. "Or I could just quit."

"Quit?" Inuyasha was awake now, hoping that Kagome didn't hear how shallow his breathing had become.

"Sure," she giggled. "Let's have some babies instead."

"D-don't joke around like that," Inuyasha admonished softly. He'd wanted her for years, but never once dared to fantasize that far. Her belly, swollen with his child... Even in jest the prospect was too amazing to handle-- a beacon of light too blinding and heavenly to even glance at. In the face of this kind of happiness, he could only shrink. He stilled at the thought, from his toes to the tips of his fingers, and had he not been laying down, his legs would have stopped working. "Besides, I'm a marrying type," he blurted out.

Kagome's eyes grew wide, and Inuyasha thought his heart seemed annoyingly audible.

"The legendary womanizer is really sweet and old-fashioned," Kagome laughed. "Who would have thought?"

"Keh! Shut up," he scoffed, turning his head away uncomfortably, but Kagome was already raising her head, moving in for a kiss.

"I'm old-fashioned, too." Her lips were against his, but they quickly parted when she sank back down on his chest, yawning again.

Now he was really nervous. Joking about doing something major, and so impulsively, was always a sign of impending recklessness on Kagome's part-- what would she try to pull?

_Oh no. Is she trying to...?_

"Kagome."

She didn't answer.

"Honey... this is important..."

Kagome yawned again, grinning up at him. "Hm?"

"You're, are you trying to... you were just... uh, babies... with m-me? You want babies?"

_Smooooth_.

Inuyasha blinked widely, hoping the voices from the television would somehow drown out his pathetic delivery.

Kagome's cheeks reddened. "What? Inuyasha, what are you asking--"

"--are ya tryin' to get knocked up?"

"Whaaat?!" She raised her head, staring back at Inuyasha with bulging eyes. "I was joking! Joking!"

Warily, the hanyou calmed down a little. "Well... we've been _riding bareback_ all week, and then you start talking about babies, and... and then I just realized..."

"I'm... um, there are, ah, pills! The Pill!" Slightly embarrassed, Kagome hid her face against her lover's chest, still mumbling. "Oh God, GOD, I don't know what I was saying. S-someday-- um, but not right now! I wasn't serious!"

"Got it." Inuyasha could feel his heart calming down. He then bit his lip, suddenly inclined to say what he honestly felt.

_I'll try it once. If I don't like it I don't have to fuckin' do it again._

"If you'd have me... I-I wouldn't mind taking you up on that one day." He blurted it out. Damn it, why did he bother to calm down? His heart was going to explode at this rate. _Quick, throw in a distraction!_ "After we fix your career."

Kagome could only nod in reply, with cheeks still heavily colored. Eventually she settled down, solidly falling asleep.

_Yeah. Let's not forget the mess we're in._ Inuyasha's eyes grew dark at the thought.

Maybe a month ago Kagome lost control and kissed Inuyasha for real, for the first time, but it felt like years had passed since then. Only two weeks ago they'd gone to Los Angeles together, finally as a couple, and only one week ago they'd first made love. He'd slept with hordes of girls over the years, but there were only a few over the course of his entire lifetime who managed to be special. Kagome, though, was the only woman who'd hit that mark so easily. In return he'd made her experience seven years worth of what that meant, in the span of seven days.

He was shocked that she brought up the idea of children. Was she back to teasing him again?

_Don't be stupid,_ he'd self-admonished. Whether or not Inuyasha felt deserving of them, he knew her feelings. It was distressing, sometimes, that she wanted him, and bringing up the subject of children implied a whole lot of things he wasn't ready to accept. Would she really spend her life with him? At times, her lack of judgment shocked the half demon.

Why couldn't she be in love with someone on her level? Her old buddy Takarai seemed interested at some point, and so did she. This man was the only other besides Inuyasha that Kagome seemed so relaxed around. While that was a little intimidating at times, a married man who toured often wasn't much of a threat.

_You idiot._ It was selfish what he'd blurted out. His weak, passive-aggressive hints at wanting to marrying her was an embarrassment to him as a man and doubly as a youkai. _'If you'll have me'? You god damned idiot. Either have the balls to make her yours, or have the balls to... to..._

He was still haunted with the idea that she could do better. If Hideto wasn't married... and if pictures of Kagome and this man kissing in an alley had surfaced, she wouldn't be in half the trouble she was in. People wouldn't be as shocked. Takarai Hideto-- Hyde-- was the face of one of Japan's most successful bands, a pride of their great nation, who toured overseas and had hordes of fans there who didn't even speak Japanese but could sing every word of his songs. He was regularly voted into lists like Japan's top five sexiest men in Oricon Style magazine. Hojo barely managed number twenty on the same poll, and that was only once. According to vapid entertainment news "experts" a coupling like Higurashi Kagome and Hyde could be ordained in heaven. A man like Takarai was worthy of Kagome, not some parasite manager who made a living off of her success.

_It's really too bad that guy's married,_ Inuyasha lamented, feeling a little conflicted.

Come to think of it Kagome never explained the nature of her relationship with her beloved "Hide-chan". The hanyou didn't even know how and why they met-- Inuyasha's first memories of the rock star were when Takarai arranged for Kagome's first meeting with their agency. He entered their office towards the end of a Thursday, perplexed in demeanor and scent. The appointment he'd made was out of the blue; why was somebody so big even setting foot in a no-name talent agency like theirs? Who could he possibly be vouching for? Compared to seeing him on T.V. the man was shorter in stature than Inuyasha had imagined, but his mere presence in a room was enough to make just about everyone hold their breath as he walked. The man seemed like he'd been a star his whole life, and when he spoke Inuyasha couldn't sense or smell an ounce of uncertainty in him. How long did it take to learn how to do that? The only person who didn't proverbially bow and scrape at the rock star's feet was Kagome.

_Kagome..._ When Inuyasha first laid eyes on her, she was completely inexperienced with stardom, despite her reputation at live shows. Sure, she was naturally pretty. Even before her fame eyes were on her when she entered a room, but Inuyasha watched her confidence evolve slowly over the years. It was just another of the many things she'd worked to perfect, as it certainly didn't come naturally. When they met she was hiding behind Takarai Hideto, clinging in fear to her... mentor? Friend?

Lover?

Maybe Inuyasha didn't want to know.

Kagome had to be crazy-- she'd wrangled Inuyasha, kicking and screaming, into her arms. She'd wanted him, and always seemed to be the main instigator of their sexual tension. All of the blatant flirting threw Inuyasha off at times, pushing his chauvinistic tendencies into all sorts of uncomfortable places. As the man in the relationship, he laughed at how he would ultimately be the one accused of wearing Kagome down until she couldn't resist his advances, despite the actual truth of their situation. If he didn't respect Kagome, if he wasn't in awe of her abilities, if he wasn't so easily calmed by her sweet temperament, and if he didn't want to taste every centimeter of her gorgeous flesh, he'd have been downright hostile towards a woman who was so forward. As far as Inuyasha was concerned, men made advances. In upholding a long tradition of social constructs, youkai men were not only expected to make advances, they were taught to regard humans as the weaker creatures they were. Only Kagome, more willful than lowly humans, would have the audacity to claim any youkai as her own-- even a hanyou like Inuyasha-- and carry it out like it was normal and natural.

Inuyasha's demon tamer in question yawned, shifting a little in her place as she nuzzled into him again. "Sleep," he whispered, realizing that she had already done so.

Babies? Clearly she was done with Hojo a long time ago, to even joke about that. Her jokes always had some ounce of truth to them. If Inuyasha had only followed his instincts, he could have avoided any efforts to salvage the public perception of an already failing relationship. Apparently his instincts as a manager weren't the best yet, even after all of this time. The fact that Kagome spent too many nights crying should have been the first clue.

_It's only been a week._ Hiding in Kagome's apartment had to stop. They had to face the world again, and it was time for Inuyasha to make a move.

"_We've got a big story this morning! New footage of Higurashi Kagome and her mysterious lover, from eyewitnesses, has been leaked._"

Inuyasha's gaze shot wildly towards the television. Thankfully the volume was low enough not to wake the woman resting on his chest, but the half demon began to worry about whether or not his pounding heart would finish the job.

"_Two anonymous sources claim to have shot vacation footage from a few months ago, prior to the release of Higurashi Kagome's latest single_."

"Damn it," hissed the half demon. Were people doctoring videos now? "Who on earth--"

Before Inuyasha could complete his thought his fears were confirmed by the image on the screen: Though her eyes were blurred out it was clearly Sango, in a bikini, smiling and waving to a pair of distant figures in the ocean before practicing the Kenpo moves she'd done in Cebu. Her image then blurred and two blobs of color, floating in the ocean, came slightly into focus. One blob was black, the other mostly white. At the bottom of the screen a caption, in rounded white lettering suddenly faded into view:

_Shocking footage of a long-standing love affair! Higurashi Kagome (23) on a romantic tropical getaway. _

_That's not even how it was!_ Inuyasha wanted to scream in reply. As he balled his fists, trembling and unsure what to do next, a figure sat on camera. His face and voice were censored but Inuyasha remembered the man.  "_We were actually hired to record Hojo-san's engagement party with Higurashi-san._" The distorted voice spoke over new footage, this time of Kagome's shocked face, with hands rushing up to cover her mouth. It was evening, on a beach. The next shot was of Hojo, holding her hand to his chest as he presented a ring. Inuyasha averted his eyes, just as Kagome accepted it.

"_Is this more proof that Higurashi Kagome and Hojo's engagement announcement was staged? Had the Platinum Pair ever really been a couple?_" The shot changed to Kagome, taking Hojo by the hand as they walked off into the dark. She turned to wink at the camera. _"Is Higurashi-san giving an important clue about the truth with this wink? These shots are hard to explain otherwise."_

"Damn it," Inuyasha whispered again, while the distorted voice returned to narrate more footage. "Hojo was in a dream world and _that's_ why you have this fucking footage!"

"_I'll say this. Higurashi Kagome-san and her manager-- I think he's her manager-- seemed to get along more naturally than she did with Hojo-san. She actually spent more time with him than Hojo-san on this vacation._" An Image of Inuyasha, Kagome and Sango drinking beers flashed quickly before another Image of Inuyasha applying sunscreen to Kagome's back appeared.

"_If I didn't know better I'd say Higurashi-san and her manager have always been the real couple._" One last shot appeared-- an overhead view of Inuyasha kissing Kagome's forehead on the shore.   He couldn't believe it. They were off-duty when that last footage was shot. It was meant to be a private moment! How did he completely miss the stench of some intruder at the time?

_Should have known this would happen..._ The half demon was quickly losing his temper. With the most self-control he cold muster at the moment he sat up, gathering Kagome into his arms before carrying her to her bedroom, tucking her hurriedly into bed. As Inuyasha closed her door he finally allowed himself to speak at a normal volume.

"Fuck!" He'd been the root of all of Kagome's problems. All of his doubts returned, heavier than ever as they lingered around him. Heading to the music room, Inuyasha located the pants he'd shed on the floor hours ago, retrieving his boxer shorts and cell phone. Once he'd put on his underwear he sat on the piano bench, mashing Miroku's speed dial number into the keypad with practiced ease.

Only a week passed, and now everything had gone crazy. As he waited for Miroku to pick up the phone Inuyasha's free hand gripped his head, and his muscles were tensed, ready for a fight.

"Inuyasha. I was counting the seconds."

"Hi, Miroku. Almost didn't catch it. Was about to go to sleep."

"I take it you can't sleep now. And by the way, WOW. Didn't know you guys were getting friendly back then, too."

The half demon slapped his hand to his forehead. "It wasn't like that! I was congratulating her."

"I could only be so lucky to 'congratulate' Kagome-sama in such ways," the agent laughed. Quickly his voice sobered, ready to address the business at hand. "So now the question is, what's your next move?"

For a minute Inuyasha glanced out the window he'd pressed Kagome against earlier. Eyeing smudges they'd made on the the glass, reflecting the morning light, the half demon finally sighed. "I know you're against it, but you can't stop me."

"You're damn right I'm against it, Inuyasha. We can't do this to her!"

Inuyasha could only sigh. "_I_ can't keep doing what I'm doing to her! Look, we already talked about this. Gonna head to your place right now. You'd better be there."

"This is _ridiculous, _I don't see how it's supposed to help things_--_" Before Miroku could finish his sentence Inuyasha ended the call, gripping his phone tightly.

Miroku just didn't understand. With problems this serious, the only thing that made sense was to do some more damage control. Inuyasha only wanted to minimize the ammunition the press already had.

He collected his pants and shirt. Feeling pensive, but keeping his moves deliberate he dressed, trying his best to keep calm. The half demon managed one more long glance at the pale, bright sky outside before heading to Kagome's room, where it was cozy and dark.

For a moment he beheld her, eyes roaming over her sleeping form. She was on her side, curled slightly into cream-colored sheets, breathing in soft sighs as a slight smile rest lightly on her face. Hair as black as coal pooled around her head and poured over her pillow in gentle waves, and her shoulder peeked out of her covers. The sumptuous splash of skin nearly tempted Inuyasha to disrupt this picture and join her, but his resolve was too deep to change his plans this time.

With a soft kiss to her forehead he left, pausing in the entryway to find his shoes before heading out. _My first priority is you. That'll never change._

* * *

It was warm, and she hadn't remembered how she got into bed, but Kagome sighed happily, enjoying how the sheets hugged her bare skin. Stretching her arms across the space, she rolled to her left, still smiling.

"Hey, are you..." Nobody was there. For a second the young woman felt a little silly, sticking the tip of her tongue out and laughing a little. Sitting up she pulled the sheet with her, wrapping it around her body as she wandered out of her bedroom.

The sun was still in the sky-- at least she hadn't slept until evening again, which was the case for a couple of days this week. Despite her sleep schedule being constantly ruined by her work schedule, Kagome still felt a little embarrassed about waking up as the sun was setting.

Padding down the cool pine floor of her hallway, she quirked an eyebrow, looking for Inuyasha. There were soft sounds in another room, but she hadn't yet figured out which room that was. Grinning a little, she let her sheet slip down a little, exposing the curve of one breast in hopes to excite her lover.

Where was he? Nobody was in the living room. She wandered past, opening the door to the music room, but still found nobody, and there were no sounds in the bathroom or toilet. The spare bedroom that Inuyasha used to take when he stayed over was also empty, as was her office.

Only the kitchen was left. Now beaming, she ducked underneath the curtains, taking a deep breath. "Good mornin-- oh!"

Sango, Shippo, and Miroku stared back at her, each holding cups of tea. With a shriek Kagome covered her exposed skin, crouching quickly onto the floor.

"Why is it always like this?!" she wailed.

"Wow, deja vu," Shippo laughed, exchanging glances with Sango. "I never told you this in the van, but nice rack!"

"Ka-kagome-sama," coughed her agent, tightening his small pony tail. "If I were a little younger I think I'd appreciate these encounters a lot more. You're... developing a knack for being caught with your shirt off."

"I'm turning into some sort of sexual deviant," the pop star laughed, following her friends into the living room. "Speaking of that, have you seen Inuyasha? And what brings you guys here, anyway?"

The room grew quiet as the friends sat down, and Kagome smiled a little, in spite of the worried expressions on everybody's faces. As the seconds passed she couldn't hold her expression, when the trio exchanged glances.

If she had to guess, Hojo might have made another television appearance, or another news report could have aired. It might explain why Inuyasha wasn't here-- there were too many things that would cause him to leave in a fit of rage and run off to "handle" the problem.

"Come on everyone," the young woman laughed, still slightly worried. "Spit it out. What happened?"

"Kagome-chan," Sango finally ventured, but stopped, rushing to her right side instead. Shippo followed suit, moving to Kagome's left. Miroku stood, retrieving an envelope from his jacket pocket. When Sango wrapped an arm around her shoulder, the other woman's anxiety rose. By the time Miroku handed her the envelope, Kagome was visibly nervous. There was something written on it, but she made a point to avert her eyes.

Her nervousness only got worse when Miroku kneeled on the floor in front of her. "Earlier this morning Inuyasha came over to my place," he started. "The footage from Hojo's engagement party is all over the news today."

_What?_ Though she was shocked and slightly confused at the situation Kagome nodded, looking back down at the neat white envelope encased in her fingers. With a deep breath, she finally allowed her eyes to comb over its black text:

_Resignation Letter_

_This is a lie, right?_ Her stomach dipped. She stared up at Miroku with a look that echoed her thoughts. Sango leaned on her shoulder.

Now trembling, she removed the letter inside, finding a second note attached with her name on it. Gingerly, with both hands, she turned the folded paper, blinking at his uncharacteristically neat handwriting. It was definitely Inuyasha's, but its neatness was alien. Holding her breath she eyed the three characters of her name centered vertically on the rectangle of paper, "ka", "go", and "me". They stared back at her, eerily calm as she unfolded the crisp white sheet.

Here, Inuyasha's handwriting was scratchy again. Kagome released a little bit of her breath at the familiarity before she finally forced herself to read:

_Kagome, _

_It's cowardly as hell to write you a note but I can't screw this up. I'd rather hate myself for being a coward instead of hating myself for doing this wrong._

_I was wrong to take you for myself. I got selfish, and because I couldn't control myself your image is suffering. _

_Hojo and I are the same, I realized. We get in the way and distract from what really matters. I understand that a little better now. Sorry I didn't realize it soon enough to protect you from everything that's happened. _

_You're amazing. There's nobody on this earth like you. Nothing should stop you from letting the whole world know it now. _

The air in the room was still, and the only sound that could be heard was the distant whir of a Helicopter outside. Sango, Shippo, and Miroku didn't even dare to move before Kagome did. They watched her eyes search the room, and when she smiled, it was terrifying.

"He's overreacting," she finally laughed, perhaps a little too loudly. Kagome shrugged out of Shippo and Sango's grasp, heading to her bedroom. The three who remained sitting looked at each other, only able to wait for what Kagome would do next.

A few moments passed, and Kagome returned wearing an over-sized t-shirt, holding her cell phone. "I'll just straighten this out." She dialed his number, and her companions could only wait for what would happen next. Kagome's eyes widened, and she hung up. She dialed again, this time turning on the phone's speaker.

"Can you believe he'd change his voice mail greeting like this, too?" She mumbled, as the phone rang. Miroku sighed, and Sango raised an eyebrow.

"_Kagome,"_ the phone echoed, "_I'm serious. Miroku's gonna be your new manager, Honey._"

"Do you agree with this, Miroku-sama?" Kagome folded her arms, ending the call.

"If you're asking for my opinion, I think he's being an idiot," Miroku answered, walking up to Kagome. He took her hand in both of his. "But if you're wondering what's going on, all I can say is Inuyasha's stepped down. In his stead, Sango and I are willing to extend our services to you."

"And if you'll have me," Shippo added. "I'd be happy to be your tour manager for now." He walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Sango finally stood, wrapping her arms around Kagome. "I hope the three of us can take care of you as well as he did."

"That's ridiculous," Kagome answered. "He'll be back, you guys don't have to worry. But... thank you." She smiled again, returning Sango's embrace. Almost too suddenly for her friends to realize, Kagome choked on a sob. "Th-thank you, for... for always worrying about me," she finished.

"Kagome, don't worry," Shippo answered, tightening his grip.

"I'm sorry I've been causing so many problems for you guys lately," Kagome sniffled, burying her face in Sango's shoulder. "I'll get him back..."

Miroku stared sadly at Kagome, who was trying to compose herself.

"...How could he?" Kagome replied to nobody in particular. She straightened out of Sango and Shippo's grasp, running a thumb over Inuyasha's note. "All of these God damned men, making decisions for me!" Crumpling it into her palm, she moved to throw it. When her arm rose, she stopped herself and smoothed out the paper as best as possible, finally glancing at her friends' worried stares. "No, that's not fair to say. I paid Inuyasha to decide things for me."

"Kagome-chan," Sango started to say, but didn't know how to continue.

"Really, Inuyasha, you think you were holding me back?" the pop star muttered, sniffling a little. _You jerk... you're what held me down to Earth. _

Cradling it in both hands, Kagome pressed the note to her heart.

* * *

Notes:

Ugh, sorry guys. Life is just... ugh. It's not good right now. Also I knew what needed to happen this chapter, but I couldn't find a good way to express it, I think. I was also looking more forward to the chapters after this one, too, which I'm going to have fun with, if anyone's still around to see it. D:

So, wow, it's been a year, right? I'm so sorry.

As for some nitpicks-- the part where they're watching the first news report and the announcer refers to Kagome as "Higurashi Kagome-san" versus just "Hojo" with no honorifics. I'm only about 60 percent sure that's right. On a Japanese news report, when they flash somebody's name there's usually a small "san" (not counting athletes, who would have "senshu" instead) next to it, and I think it's spoken as well. However I can't recall ever seeing honorifics next to a stage name on a news show (like Hojo's, for example, since going by one name may categorize his as such). I'm trying to remember any news report I've seen involving celebrity stage names and can't remember seeing it. In a previous chapter I tacked on the honorifics anyway, but eh. It's different from being introduced on something like a music or variety show.

Also, I just realized when writing this chapter (even though I've written it in before), that I don't ever remember getting a customized voice mail message when calling any Japanese cell phones (I've only gotten something like, "This caller isn't available"). So I'm not sure it's a thing that's done. Sorry if I got that detail wrong. D:

FYI I've got a big chunk of chapter 16 already written. Thanks for hanging in there, anyone who's reading!


	18. 16: Missing Piece

Fade and Flare

Chapter 16

Inuyasha (at least the anime, anyway) is copyright Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Yomiuri Terebi, and Sunrise 2000.

* * *

"Okay," Miroku uttered with a sigh. "Everyone hold out your hands."

"What's going on?" Shippo set down his sandwich and canned coffee with a puzzled stare, but complied, holding out a closed hand towards Miroku, mirroring him.

"You too, Darling Sango."

Rolling her eyes, she offered her fist. "Janken?"

The corner of Miroku's mouth quirked up in an affirming smile as he raised his fist. "Jan."

"Ken," Sango continued, as the trio raised their fists a second time.

"Pon," Shippo finished, keeping his hand in a fist shape- rock. Miroku's hand matched.

Sango eyed her flat palm and raised an eyebrow at her two companions. "Looks like I win with paper. What's the prize?"

With a rueful smile Miroku pat her on the shoulder. "You, my Dear, now have the privilege of telling Kagome in person that Shiseido has terminated her endorsement contract.

There was no time to think about her reaction; Sango's jaw dropped. "How? But... wait, why can't you... Miroku, that's dirty! What did they say? What did _you_ say?"

* * *

_That was such a dirty trick!_ She'd repeated this to herself so many times since she read the letter, unable to accept that he could quit so easily. Inuyasha's success wasn't based on Kagome's work and talent alone. Just as she'd practiced and studied her craft for so long, rehearsing into early hours of the morning in her tiny apartment so as not to waste her new manager's efforts, Inuyasha had developed his instincts about people and the music industry. They'd been together for years, trusting each other, and growing to help the other.

Inuyasha should have known better. Surely he knew how much she needed him! Why would he distress her like this?

Unhappy that she couldn't find a closer parking spot, she bent a black fedora low over her face, and her boots clicked against the sidewalk in front of Inuyasha's house. Running towards the gate, she rehearsed in her mind what she'd say to him inside, despite forgetting each phrase as quickly as she could think of them. _Forget it._ All she had to do was see his face, and everything would work out. Her hand grabbed the iron handle and twisted.

The gate didn't budge. Slightly startled, she tried again with the same results. What was left of her train of thought was derailed, but she reached into her purse, fumbling for keys as she looked between the bars of the gate, searching for Inuyasha's black Porsche. Maybe he'd stepped out.

Finally locating a key, she shoved it hastily into the keyhole, trying to turn it. Nothing happened.

_Did I put it in upside-down?_ No big deal. Kagome couldn't really recall any time in recent memory when she needed to use the key. She flipped it over, trying to open the gate, but there were still no results.

_Whoops, wrong key..._ Sighing to herself, Kagome switched keys.

Four keys later, the gate still failed to open. Confused as to what to do now, she stood in place, staring at her hands.

"Nee-san! You can't leave your apartment without telling me!"

Slightly startled, the young woman turned towards the voice. Kouhaku, followed by his right hand men, rushed out of their black Jaguar and over to her side. As Sango's flustered younger brother retrieved his cell phone to tell Sango everything was fine, Kagome turned her head to the taller of Kouhaku's employees.

"Shimura-san, right?"

"Y-yeah."

Kagome fumbled for a second, handing him the first key she'd tried on Inuyasha's gate. "I'm... apparently I'm too panicky to use keys correctly. Could you please open this gate?"

Looking slightly concerned, Shimura Keichi nodded softly, using them. "Sorry..." he started to say, but Kagome interrupted.

"Sorry, maybe you're a little tired after having to rush here." The tone in her voice was starting to hint at desperation. "Aoki-san," she started, handing the set of keys to him. "Could you please...?"

"Um, sure." The other man fumbled for a minute before finally shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Higurashi-sama. I've failed, too."

"Okay, I'm sorry. It's my fault for running away so suddenly... I'm so sorry. I guess we're all a little stressed right now and it's my fault. Let's see if Kouhaku-kun can do it."

The two men exchanged worried glances and nodded, and the entire process repeated once Kouhaku ended his phone call.

Breathing a little faster, Kagome gripped the bars of the gate. "I'll just wait here for a little bit. He can't stay out all night, can he? This is where he lives, after all..."

Frowning, Kouhaku looked at the darkening sky and turned back to Kagome, now squatting on the ground. "Nee-san. It's going to get cold soon."

"It's okay," she answered. "I'll just tease Inuyasha about how I waited in the freezing tundra once he comes back. I bet he's just out to dinner right now."

The young man sighed, looking sadly at his men. "You heard her. Let's wait a while."

"Right, Boss."

...

"I'm back."

"Thanks again, Aoki-kun." Kagome beamed in gratitude as he handed her a hot lemon drink from a nearby vending machine. As it grew dark it was Kouhaku's idea to warm her hands up with hot drinks while they waited for Inuyasha. A few hours later a pile of tepid, unopened bottles sat on the sidewalk next to the four, who talked about their families to pass the time.

Kagome pressed the heated bottle to her cheeks, sighing softly as it warmed her face, not noticing how Aoki smiled at her. "Kouhaku-kun," she started, peering up at him from the ground. "Don't you want your jacket back? I have this drink to keep me warm for a little bit."

"No, no, I'm okay. What kind of man lets a lady freeze in the dark?"

Kagome sighed, lowering her gaze down to her toes. "What kind of selfish person lets three other people freeze in the dark?" she mumbled. "Shimura-kun, what time is it?"

"One-thirty in the morning, Jou-chan."

All were silent as Kagome stared up at the sky, searching for the moon. It hung behind the clouds, only half-visible. She glanced over at her companions, trying hard to remain stoic, holding in their discomfort. Standing, Kagome dusted herself off.

"How about this: It's late, so there are open parking spots on the street, now. I go around the corner to get my car, wait in it, and you three can go home. If someone suspicious shows up, I can just drive away."

"Don't be ridiculous," Kouhaku replied, holding his coat in place over Kagome's shoulders when she tried to return it to him. "We're waiting with you as long as you need to." Aoki and Shimura nodded at her, in agreement with their boss.

"Damn," she muttered. "If my key would just work..."

Shimura raised an eyebrow.

...

Kagome clearly didn't have the same sense of smell as Inuyasha, but she did notice how his scent still lingered in his house. Shimura helped her climb over the gate after he, Aoki, and Kouhaku went over it following her. After Kagome's key to the house failed to work Aoki managed to get a window open enough for the young woman to wriggle her way inside.

Now she stood, shoes in hand as she deposited them on the ground, then opening the front door for her bodyguards. As they entered, locking the door behind them and removing their shoes, Kagome turned on a small table lamp.

This seemed wrong, but she didn't know what else to do. Inuyasha hadn't been answering her calls. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo couldn't find him, either. She would have believed he'd disappeared from the face of the Earth if not for the fact that he was still in limited contact with Miroku.

"I'm going upstairs to lay down. Go ahead and make yourselves at home. Help yourselves to whatever's in the fridge, too, though he never really keeps a lot of food around."

"Thank you, Nee-san. We'll be okay."

Turning, she climbed the stairs. As she reached the top she stood in the hallway, deciding which room to head to. She glanced at her guest room for a second, taking a step in that direction before stopping again. Her eyes trailed over to the doorway of Inuyasha's bedroom at the end of the hall. A breath caught in her throat as she gazed down the dim passage, remembering the last time she was here. She shuddered at the memory of kissing him only a couple of weeks ago in the doorway of his bedroom as the pair inched towards Inuyasha's bed.

This was where she belonged. Her feet padded slowly towards the darkness, before consciously deciding to head in that direction. With hesitation she took a breath, placing a hand on the doorknob, and entered.

At first glance Inuyasha's room hadn't changed, and she didn't really expect it to. The bed was made, and everything else was put away. It was actually tidier than usual in his room.

_Too_ tidy, Kagome realized. She rushed to his closet first, pulling its sliding door to one side.

Most of his clothes were gone. In fact, the only things that really seemed to remain were a small collection of dress shirts and a couple pairs of pants. It took a few seconds to realize that all of the clothes that remained were items she'd purchased for him.

_Why?_

She spun around, rushing to his drawer. His underwear and socks were lacking in number. As she dug through the rest of his things, memories of all sorts flashed through her mind. He'd bought this house after Kagome became a commercial success only a couple of years ago, and when she got her first endorsement deal she helped him decorate the place.

Kagome recalled shopping with Inuyasha for red things to place in his bedroom, comparing prices for the furniture she'd helped him pick out and arrange. There were other days when she'd come over to help the half demon organize his clothes. She feared that he'd return to his old ways of leaving his clothes in a mountain at his nightstand. _"You silly guy,"_ she'd giggled once. "_You'll find all of your underwear faster if you keep them in once place."_ Kagome remembered how he pouted when she arranged his boxer shorts for him.

"_Fine, but I ain't arranging my fucking underwear by color,_" he'd growled.

"_I know," _she'd answered, laughing.

Sighing now, Kagome moved to his bed, sinking down into its center. She buried her face in his pillows.

_Last time I was here..._ Her eyes drifted close as she remembered how urgently they'd kissed. She hadn't yet had the opportunity to spend a night with him in this bed. With reddening cheeks at her most recent memories in this spot she rolled over to his nightstand, opening the top drawer. His condoms were still there, along with a few other items- backup batteries for his cell phone, packages of flavoring from instant ramen (where were the noodles?), an old day planner... As she rummaged a little more she found pieces of a ripped photo. A little surprised, she pushed them around with a finger, finally spotting a familiar face in the shreds: his last ex-girlfriend's face. This woman was the only person besides Kagome who Inuyasha seemed to show any kind of tenderness for. The hanyou had barely managed to remember the names of girls he'd slept with, but with this woman... She wouldn't even admit it to herself back then, but Kagome always felt a little jealous when she'd catch Inuyasha on the phone with her. The way he murmured softly into the receiver in a stolen moment made Kagome's heart flutter a little, and she'd fantasize about hearing his whispers in her own ears.

_This girl has no idea how much she hurt him,_ Kagome lamented. She rolled back into the middle of the bed, pulling a pillow to her chest before drifting off to sleep.

When Kagome and her three bodyguards left Inuyasha's house the next morning, they were faced with a pair of police officers from the local kouban, ready to arrest them. As soon as they recognized Kagome, the tense expressions shared by the police officers dissipated. Laughing at the misunderstanding, they explained how reports of a young woman and some yakuza had broken into the house. They were surprised at what seemed to be a coincidence- how quickly someone would try to rob the house, not even a full day after they watched Inuyasha leave with a few small boxes.

"Did he say where he was going? Or when he was coming back?"

"Well, of course he's not very talkative," the younger policeman answered, "all he mentioned was that he'd be gone for a while. Is there something going on?"

Kagome bit her lip.

* * *

"I'm home," Kagome muttered to nobody, a little crestfallen after being driven home by Kouhaku. With practiced ease she shed her white leather boots in the entryway, and hung her coat and purse before stepping into the house. Then she stood, staring blankly into the living room, fixating on the bright white sky in the windows. A wedge of intense light bled down over the curtain and spilled onto the carpeted floor. Her eyes followed as it drew a line to her couch.

_The last time I laid there..._ She pictured Inuyasha's nude form, cradling her after a night of lovemaking in the music room.

Kagome felt compelled to straighten a displaced cushion; it was probably Inuyasha's fault that it sat crooked. Blankly, she moved to the couch and reached for it, but met a moment of hesitation. Shaking her head, however, she laughed at the absurdity of such sentimentality and straightened up the cushions. Locating a blanket that had been deposited on the floor, she folded it, draping it over the arm of the couch. Again, she paused before taking a seat. Kagome's gaze was drawn back to the light, into the sky once more, and she stood to regard its flatness. There were no clouds, but also no color as it washed the room in bright whites from the midday. Flinching from too much glare, Kagome turned away.

Like an apparition she drifted into the music room, eventually face to face with the keys on her white Shigeru-Kawai. Spots of light shot into her eyes off of its polished surface, and she let them retreat into her shadow, stretched across the keys. Without a pause her fingers went straight towards them, her body in tow, sliding onto the piano bench with a bit of trepidation. She paused over the piano, fingertips hovering over the keys- for the first time in years no tune came to mind. The sound of her exhale faded into the room; it had been the only sound she'd allowed herself to make since coming home.

Kagome was at a loss.

She sulked, bending solemnly over the piano. Her head sank a little, and Kagome's eyes immediately darted towards the movement of her shadow, watching the forms of her silhouette morph subtly with her breathing. This was when she caught a slight imperfection in the light: a cloudy, diffused shape that sat steadily near the shadow of her shoulder. When Kagome realized what created the shape, her shoulders sank.

_What the hell. They're just smudges..._ Kagome balled her hands into fists over the piano, and ran them angrily over the keys, no longer hesitating. The piano shrieked back in terror, in rapid, harsh waves of chords until the notes dissipated into a string of more lamentful, intricate song. When Kagome calmed down the piano rained a soft lullaby of apology into the room, its pianist replying with a foot on the una corda pedal as her notes faded and disappeared. Her eyes moved back to the shadow of the smudges she'd made with Inuyasha, on the last night they'd been together. Still facing the window with her slumping back, the young woman slid down, softly resting her forehead on the piano keys at middle C.

Her gaze dragged across the ground along the shape of her shadow, until she caught the corner of something black underneath the piano. Intrigued, she slid onto the floor, crawling towards it.

_Play it when you're blue and think of all the good times we have,_ Hideto had once instructed. With a tender smile she pulled the object towards her- a black guitar case- and unearthed her sparkly pink Fernandes. The first guitar she ever owned, a gift from her dear friend, shone as if it were new. It had been used heavily but was kept in good condition over the years, despite the few hairline scratches it had earned through stage use and travel. Gingerly, Kagome dragged it out of the case, slowly slipping it onto her lap. Not bothering to put on its strap or locate a pick, she strummed across the strings...

...And the sound was terrible! Kagome's mouth bent unconsciously into a sneer when the guitar belched out a crooked cord. Her fingertips softly adjusted the tuning machines, before playing again.

For a few seconds, the musician believed that her guitar skill had atrophied. She could almost feel gears turning in her head as she tried to recall a few chords, struggling to play a tune in time. The notes were from a foreign song she'd often covered in her early days; she'd once been able to literally play it backwards, but it was now a struggle to play at half tempo. That struggle did not last long. With the tune came memories of shows, myriad nights sweating in black leather, applying heavy eyeshadow, setting up amps, and speeding through Tokyo streets in Hideto's passenger seat.

"_I wanna fall into you,  
And I wanna be everything  
You want me to,  
But I'm not sure I know how..._"

Remembering what she'd been told about her Japanese accent in L.A., Kagome took pains to keep her English pronunciation tight. For only a moment, she forgot about Inuyasha and gossip magazines, lost in her craft.

"_I lose faith and I lose ground,  
Then I see you and remember,  
Unconditional love..._"

The moment was brief, however. Though she suddenly felt calmer than a moment ago, Kagome began to reminisce about her earlier days as a musician. She recalled the first time she'd seen Inuyasha, screaming and angry as he berated Miroku. There was a wildness in his eyes that intrigued and scared her to the core, and in time she'd learned that he was only hostile when he cared deeply about something. Kagome felt as if she'd been the only one who realized it. She felt compelled to soothe him- it came so easily to her. As they grew closer, she wanted to do it more.

His face came to mind: first the image of his indignant scowl, then his flustered blushing, and finally his peaceful sleeping face, which she'd only seen a few times. The weight of her Fernandes suddenly grew, and Kagome didn't fight as the guitar slid off of her lap, onto the floor.

"That sounded familiar. Was it a cover?"

With a start, Kagome's eyes darted to the room's entrance, and she calmed a bit once she recognized Sango, slowly letting herself in.

"Uh... yes. I used to play it at my live shows."

"Awesome. You know, I still can't believe you started as a punk act."

"To be accurate," Kagome replied, "I don't think I could legitimately call myself a punk act back then when the music wasn't really any sort of political statement. I just liked playing in the spirit."

"Yeah," Sango grinned, "If you wanna be a music snob about it, I suppose." She stuck her tongue out, taking a seat on the floor next to her friend. "I've been listening to you nonstop lately! Well, _old_ you, I suppose. I can't believe that was you!"

"I was a baby, trying to sound like a big, tough grownup. It was all about pretending to be an adult back then- I didn't want people to notice that I was still learning how to be a _real _one. Those lyrics were so harsh and angsty, but come on! I was as threatening as a kitten attack."

Sango was laughing now. "You're being hard on yourself."

Kagome rolled her eyes, waving a dismissive hand in the air. "Most of those songs were written when I was in high school, which wasn't such a good time." She shifted in her seat a little, readjusting the guitar in her lap. "Honestly, I wonder if half the people coming to my shows did so because I wore skimpy clothes and thrashed around a lot."

Well, besides the skimpy clothes you just described everybody after high school ended. Anyway, when I walked in you were playing... Shin-dee Ro-ppa, right?" The stylist toiled at the foreign name.

"Cyndi Lauper, yeah. Hide-chan was the first to suggest that I cover that song, before I'd written a few songs of my own. He said it suited my range just nicely." Sighing, Kagome set the guitar back in her case, locating a cleaning cloth to wipe off some smudges before finally closing the case. "I forgot how fun it was to play guitar. It reminds me of... well, good times, I suppose." A slight blush crept across Kagome's cheeks. "Hide-chan was a strict teacher. What he asked me to do was always difficult, but... he'd always instruct with such a gentle demeanor. Otherwise, though- well, other times when he'd watch TV or the few times I'd seen him on the phone with his manager he had a temper like Inuyasha's, but it was never directed towards me. Like there was an off-switch for me."

Sitting cross-legged, Sango rest her chin on her hand. "Your first love..."

With a soft laugh, Kagome nodded. "I was so young, and he was... well, a rock star! Sure, he didn't act the way I'd always imagined when I finally got to know him, but for the most part he was famous and desirable on TV and in magazines, and all he wanted to do was spend time with _me_ when he came home."

"Wow," Sango laughed. "You must have been one smokin' hot teenager."

Kagome burst into laughter. "I don't know about that," she giggled, "But it was a weird time. I spent the day at school as a normal girl, but I spent my nights in a glamorous upscale apartment, with my rock star friends. It was like our own planet, because we could never go out anywhere- they'd all be seen, of course, and Hide-chan said it might even cause problems for me to be seen with them."

"If you don't mind me asking," Sango interjected, "Why did it end?"

"I wonder if it ever really _started_." There was a tender smile that hung on her face as Kagome stared into her lap. "The time we spent together was short. It was a period when he stayed in Tokyo to record music, and do a lot of press and radio between touring seasons. We wouldn't have lasted. I didn't even have an identity as my own person.

"Like I said I was new to being an adult, and maybe somewhere I realized this. But I have a lot to thank him for, because he set me on this path. He helped me find Inuyasha."

"So it's no coincidence that he and Inuyasha are similar?" Sango grinned.

"What? It's not like that! They're similar, but..." Kagome grinned, too. "Inuyasha was always a little sad inside. After I stopped being scared of him, I realized it. He's always afraid to get close because he can't handle being hurt as much as Hide-chan could. Hide-chan and I were able to go on with our lives with these great memories that haven't been ruined by anyone, or anything.

"Not that it was so easy to part with your first love! I'm just saying," Kagome sighed. "It seemed like a bad idea. Like... it was the wrong lifetime for us. Maybe we both knew it."

"What was Hojo, then? A long rebound?" Sango blurted out the thought but quickly covered her mouth, slumping in embarrassment as she stared apologetically at Kagome.

The pop star was wide-eyed, blinking as she considered this. "...Maybe," she sighed. "But I thought we were a nice match. And even _you_ remember that we had some great times together, too. He helped me get over Hide-chan." Kagome stared off to one side, beginning to mumble, "Especially when Hide-chan met his wife on that TV show a year later..."

The surprise on Sango's face startled Kagome a little bit. _Whoops. That came out wrong._ Kagome shook her head, waving her hands in front of her. "Megumi-chan is great! She's a sweet, gentle lady, and their boy is so adorable, too. Anyway, like I said, Hide-chan and I were able to go on with our lives, and the time we spent together was really special. He got me ready for the life I live now."

"Speaking of the life you live now," Sango murmured. She clenched her fists in her lap, trying to find a way to give Kagome the bad news. As her eyes scanned the room she blinked at smudges on the window. "Oh my God, Kagome-chan..." Bouncing up to examine the window, she unconsciously stretched out her t-shirt, wiping some of the smudges away. "I've never even _seen_ a mess, of _any_ sort in your home."

The young pop star's breath held as she watched her friend easily wipe away what she couldn't even look at. Part of her wanted to stop Sango, but knew better. It was absurd.

"There we go," Sango finally exhaled. "Now, let's make tea while I tell you some news."

* * *

_Dearest Hojo-sama,_

_It's me, Saionji Reimi again. By now you must have quite a few of my letters, ever since I decided to send one a month. I would only like for you to know about me once we finally meet. How dare that horrible slut Kagome treat you-_

Yikes! Next.

_To My Beloved Husband-to-be-Hojo,_

Oh no, no, no. Next...

_Hey, Hojo! Will you be my big brother? I think you're cool.  
_

Shortest. Fan letter. Ever. There was also no return address or signature. Hojo laughed, and folded the crisp piece of paper into his pocket. This was going into his collection.

_Hello Hojo-san,_

_I love watching your shows. Ever since I was in high school I've been paying attention to your new roles, and I also try to buy whatever products you sponsor so that people will give you more jobs! Do you think it worked? Your face and voice are very calming to me, and while we will probably never meet, I hope you will continue to work in television..._

"Yuka," Hojo called sharply.

"Yes?" She lifted her gaze from her computer, wincing inwardly at his cold tone of voice.

"I need to autograph a photo for this one." His demeanor was suddenly mechanical and detached. The young actor began to feel guilty for speaking to her this way, but those feelings quickly disappeared as he remembered the photos of Kagome and Inuyasha. Would she have even been driven into the arms of her manager without Yuka's meddling, or was their relationship simply expedited? Maybe he'd never know.

"Sure! Give me the name and address and I'll add her to a list, and-"

"-No, I'd like to do it myself. After you get me the photo please just go home for the day, or at least continue working in your office. I think I'd prefer that you do your desk work from there from now on, and not my living room."

"O-okay," she murmured. Though she expected this type of resentment, it still hurt. Now that her feelings for him had become known, she felt ashamed to argue with him at times. Ultimately, however, Yuka was grateful to still be working for Hojo- Inuyasha had once very bluntly criticized this.

_"I believe in forgiveness,"_ Hojo had said after Yuka admitted to stealing Kagome's engagement ring. "_You're a little misguided, but you've also taken good care of my career and have good connections in the industry. To be honest, I also think I need someone as cunning as you working for me... not _against_ me._"

Misguided, indeed! If Yuka had not have been so vulnerable at the time she could have argued for days about how every _facet_ of what she'd done for him was beneficial to his career. Even now, as he glared at her from behind a pile of fan letters, both Yuka and Hojo knew that he'd be just as successful as before, and Kagome alone would suffer a backlash from the public.

"Yuka, sorry. I'd really like if you left right now."

"Sure." With an expressionless face she gathered her paperwork.

* * *

Had it always been this imposing? It was strange, Kagome thought, that she'd never really felt uncomfortable to be at home in her own apartment before- she'd spent a lot of time looking for the perfect place to live as far as location, layout, and the view. Her living space was beautiful and comfortable, in calming colors with lots of natural light and not too many rooms, yet with extra space just in case she'd ever needed it.

The space would allow Kagome to take care of her mother in her old age. If her younger brother Souta ever grew tired of living at their family shrine, he would be welcome here. Even if she wanted to make her own family... well, just in case she ever did, there would be room here.

After Sango left Kagome wandered the halls again. When did her home feel so cold and uninviting?

She'd lost an endorsement contract because Shiseido didn't want to be affiliated with the scandal. She understood, and in a way Kagome felt relieved- she was never a fan of hawking makeup, but she did so with the understanding that it was necessary to stay popular in order to sell music. So many people depended on her for work, too, from her personal staff to the regular studio and tour musicians, dancers, her photographers... many people paid for their homes and fed their children because of her success. While maybe Sango, Shippo, Miroku, and Inuyasha depended on her more than others, Kagome was at least glad that another pop star could come along and most of these people would still have work.

Even beyond this responsibility the rejection itself still stung. Kagome never thought that she, who fought to put her music first would actually be a part of a celebrity scandal. Since breaking things off with Hideto as a young woman she was petrified that something would undermine her music career, but suddenly, halfway to thirty years old, she'd become distracted. It only took three years for her to get to the top, and another three to mess up. She suddenly felt sympathy for the myriad pop queens before her who likely lived under the same scrutiny. The amount of personal sacrifice necessary, in order to spend even ten years as a relevant pop star, suddenly became clearer. _This_ was why pop stars came and went.

Her feet, slapping against the hardwood floor of the halls echoed softly with each step. The sky had dimmed outside, but she could not be bothered to turn on a light as she paced, slowing slightly each time she passed Inuyasha's guest room.

"I gotta get out of here."

Before the house grew completely dark she shuffled to the entryway, slipping on a white coat and white ballet flats before heading out the door. She called Kouhaku as she headed to the parking garage, and was met with two cars as she reached the bottom of the building: her own white Peugeot, and Kouhaku's black Mercedes SL500.

She thanked Kouhaku, who blushed a little as he handed her the keys before heading to his car to escort her. It was tough to explain that she didn't know where she wanted to go, but Kouhaku didn't press the issue, only saying, "I understand. We'll just follow and make sure nobody bothers you." Kouhaku opened the door for her as she stepped into the car. Kagome paused for a moment while waiting for the younger man to get into his own car, before she started driving.

Surely, if she got it out of her system, she'd quit acting selfish and distraught like this. Intellectually, this is what she thought, but in her heart she'd been so confused and stressed for so long that she needed a break. She needed to think.

Inuyasha had _finally_ let his guard down, and they'd _finally_ gotten close. She felt stupid for thinking that this would fix all of her problems. Now Inuyasha had run away, even further than she could imagine.

Her car wandered along with her mind, taking random turns through the evening traffic. Somehow Kouhaku had managed to stay behind her as she wove through the streets- not that she was particularly trying to lose him. A few turns later she'd found herself at the steps of her family shrine. She shrugged as she waited for her guard to stop and escort her out.

"Thanks," she murmured, taking the young man's arm. He waited at the base of the steps as she headed toward the house.

"Take all the time you need, Nee-san."

"Thanks again."

Her eyes moved to the Tokyo skyline as she climbed the familiar steps. In the corner of her eye Kouhaku's slim figure became more and more faint as he stood in the dark, until it disappeared from view completely. Pink, blue, and yellow neon dots pulsated in the distance, spiraling up along the skyscrapers as if leading her eyes to the stars. There, Kagome eventually focused her attention on the sky, catching sight of _Ooguma_- Ursa Major- and found the two stars pointing to Myouken. The north.

"_Myouken is a kind god, even though many don't worship her anymore,"_ her grandfather had often said, _"She protects us from calamity, and controls our fates."_ Kagome had forgotten how many times she'd held her grandfather's hand at the top of the shrine steps as he explained this to her. With her memories of this, she recalled his words.

"_Stand at the top of the shrine steps, and look for the Big Bear in the sky, who will point you to Myouken."_ Kagome recalled her Grandfather's creased face and wiry moustache as he smiled down towards her, pointing to the sky. "_Now look right below where Myouken sits." _He traced a line from the sky to the earth. _ "You'll notice that she left something special for us, to remind us of her presence, even when you can't see stars in the sky. What is it?"_

"The Goshinboku," an adult Kagome whispered, making her way towards the largest tree on the grounds.

As she approached the sacred tree- a massive, old cryptomeria adorned in shimenawa rope and paper shide streamers, wards to keep away evil spirits, her heart gradually calmed. The pop star finally took a seat at the bench in front of it.

Quietly, she beheld the trunk in the dark, running her eyes over the tree's scars as if they were hers- as if each crack on its massive surface was a scratch on her own heart. When her father died, when she felt like a failure, when she was bullied in high school, Kagome spent hours sitting in the shade of this tree. Sometimes she'd cry, sometimes she'd talk to it, and other times she'd study it quietly, mulling over her problems.

The presence of something older than her, even older than generations of her family, seemed to trivialize her troubles. Each time she came home to sit with the great Goshinboku she understood: it stood before she'd been born, and it would still stand after she was gone. The ancient tree would sit silently, set in its ways as it continued to grow, unchanged by any fleeting successes or failures she'd have in her life.

Clapping her hands together in a short prayer, she'd hoped to get Myoujin's attention. "I'm not sure what to do," she whispered. "For so long I worked hard to become successful, and now it's hurting everyone around me. I want to return the love they've given me, but I want to be happy, too. That's fair, isn't it?"

"Kagome? I heard a noise..."

A soft, masculine voice- one that had comforted her so often- made her heart jump. Right after her name was called she verified its owner through his familiar silhouette. A slender figure moved towards her, backlit softly by her family's porch lights, from further in the distance. Tears welled up in her widened eyes as she leaped from the bench, running into an open embrace.

"Hide-chan! I thought you were touring in America!"

"Just got back to Tokyo this evening. Thought I'd bring Mama some California wine while I asked her a few questions..."

"Questions?" Linking her arm with his, she moved back to the Goshinboku's bench with a bounce in her step.

"The questions were pointless to ask anyway, seeing as you don't call your mother enough." The older man took a seat, draping one arm around her shoulders. "Since I have you, though, would you care to explain why at every book store I pass, the newspapers have pictures of Inuyasha with his hands on your... well, _everything_?"

"It was in Rosu!" she replied defensively. "Nobody mobs me in the streets in America, so... part of me thought we were safe, and the rest of me... got a little distracted."

"Thought you could fuck your employees and get away with it there?" Though the words were harsh, Hideto's tone was tender as he teased Kagome. "If you met face to face with the you from high school, how would you explain this to her? And while I never really liked that dumbshit Hojo, how would you have explained this to him? You cheated on that boy?"

Shamefully, Kagome buried her face into her friend's shoulder. "I... I almost cheated on poor Hojo-kun. But the week before Inuyasha and I went to Rosu I gave back the engagement ring. Ended things properly."

"...I'm confused. Are you trying to tell me you're not a _total_ idiot?"

"If Inuyasha hadn't stopped me himself, I would have done everything in the wrong order."

"I take that back. My Kagome is a total idiot."

She raised her head to meet her friend's gaze. "No. _Your_ Kagome was a young girl who had a clear and level head. She understood consequences, and was _not_ a total idiot."

Hideto rolled his eyes.

"_This_ Kagome is spoiled, complacent, and pays other people to tell her what's right and wrong, because she can't be bothered to do anything else but sing, dance, and irresponsibly fall in love with her manager- who just quit his job and _disappeared_, mind you! It serves me right that I can't figure out where he is."

"You _are_ an idiot. And while I don't know what's going on with him and didn't see this coming, so is your manager."

"See?"

"He... he really _ran away_? I can't believe that crap. He does and _doesn't_ understand what's happening between you? Is he trying to stop it? And _you_ don't even get it! You're the same Kagome as you were before. When you're in love you can't control it. I don't think that part of you will ever change."

With a frown, Kagome pulled away from her friend for a minute. She searched Hideto's face, trying to understand what he was saying. "When I was in love with you back then I somehow managed to set it all aside for my future. Nowadays I'm a mess."

"I had to talk you out of it. Don't you remember? The night in my car-"

"-Was the only time we got to _really_ act out what we felt because of that. At that point it was the saddest and happiest moment in my life. I was so, _so_ in love with you. You have no idea..."

"Baby, I knew it back then; that's not even in question. But it's old news. You love Inuyasha more than you've ever loved me, and it makes me proud. You've finally become a grown woman."

The woman in question stared skeptically. "You're... praising me because I got older? Because... you can save that for later. In fifteen years when my face starts to age, I want to hear you say that."

He laughed, tracing a hand down her cheek. "You're finally at the point where you can handle loving someone enough to screw things up. Enough to derail the course of your entire life, and mess up your plans, and replace whatever childish dreams you had with newer, better ones."

Kagome could only stare as she took in Hideto's words.

"I only know this, because back then I'd reached that point. I would have loved... it would have meant the _world_ if you were willing to do it with me, but I realized that you weren't ready. You'd grow up a little more and hate me for holding you back."

"You're being over-dramatic," Kagome sighed, placing a hand on his. "Right after we parted was when you guys went from stars to megastars! And then you met Megumi-chan."

"Yep. I ruined some other poor girl's life instead of ruining yours."

"Stop that!"

"...And we got married right away and my popularity went down, and then our band went on hiatus. You don't remember?" He grinned. "I threw it all aside to be with her, and then Ichi was born, and..."

Kagome gasped. "Hide-chan..."

"Yeah?"

"About Koichi: I just realized you've been touring for almost two years straight! Why?"

He paused, having been caught a little off guard. "Ah, you noticed," he sighed. Gripping Kagome's fingers with his own, he ran his thumb over her fingertips.

"Now that I think about it... when's the last time you two spent some time together? And with your boy?"

"I'd love to spend time with my boy, if that fucking bitch would let me near him!"

Well, _that _was sudden. Kagome froze at the instant animosity in Hideto's tone. The pair sat silent, unable to quickly react to the sudden derailment in their conversation. The young woman searched her friend's face, trying to get a glimpse of what he was thinking. He stared forward, not even trying to mask the hurt in his eyes.

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again as she looked at her friend once more. She looked down at their hands, watching his thumb pause over her fingernail. His other fingers, calloused from playing the guitar dug softly into her hand. Her own problems didn't seem as important.

"But... Megumi-chan is... she's so sweet!" Kagome could feel tears welling up. "What happened? I didn't know you were fighting!"

"What I told you, about being bitter about having your career held back? She learned that firsthand." Hideto gripped Kagome's hand tighter, taking a moment to lean on her shoulder. "Turns out, she wasn't ready for new dreams. The idea hit her by surprise as much as it hit me. And part of me can't blame her."

Tears spilled down, rolling over Kagome's cheeks, and into Hideto's dark hair, which was shaggy and frizzy from traveling. "I saw her on TV recently, and thought, 'Wow, both she and Hide-chan are working really hard.' I admired both of you so much..."

"So you get it. When Ichi was born, she changed. She'd snap at me all the time, and get mad over little things- it wasn't like before, when she'd wait backstage after every show, and we'd talk for hours. A couple of years ago when the boy started elementary school, she had a nervous breakdown and screamed at me all the time about how I was hiding in the studio or on TV with the band too often. Megumi completely _lost_ it. I had to move out."

"She made a family with you and broke it all apart!" Sniffling, Kagome threw her arms around her friend. "I would have never done that to you!"

With a free hand Hideto reached up, patting her on the head. "Don't dwell on the hypothetical. You and I ended things the right way. We'll leave it at that."

"So what will you do now?" Wiping softly at his hair, Kagome tried to brush her tears out. "When will you see Koichi again? How do you deal with all of this?"

"Well, it's petty sometimes. She can't stop him from seeing ads of me everywhere, and even you know we're on TV constantly, and I'm about a million times more famous than she is. She's 'kind' enough to stay out of the way when I phone him. I talk to him every day, if I can, and next weekend he'll be at my apartment, but in general? I write some fucking songs, perform them, and party my ass off on tours."

Sighing, Kagome straightened Hideto's hair as best as she could. "I still listen to your music as much as I did in high school. I saw your last video! It was pretty good timing, too- was feeling sorry for myself, and couldn't sleep, so I turned on the TV, and boom. There you were."

"Yeah," he chuckled. "My songs tend to just show up. All part of the job."

"Smart-ass," Kagome giggled. "Well, you sung me to sleep. I don't wanna praise you too much-"

"-You're too biased, anyway. It's easy to please a lady when you know you've been her favorite singer for most of her life."

Kagome slapped him, lightly on the head. "Hide-chan! Argh! Well, in my _professional_ opinion, it was such a solid song, with a gorgeous hook. Reminded me of old times."

In mock pain, Hideto held a hand on his head where he had been hit. "Now that's bizarre. I don't think I've ever sung you to sleep in person."

She laughed. "Maybe you _should_ some time. I miss playing rock, Hide-chan. Even if it were just with you, at your place, I'd like to play with someone. I dream about wearing black leather and screaming into a mic again. I gotta exorcise a few demons."

For a moment Hideto was quiet, running his eyes over her sad smile, in the dark. "Well, what the hell is stopping you?"

"What?"

"I'm still... hey, I've got nothing to do _but_ be a rock star, and I'm thinking: you might as well be in the same boat as me. Can't find Inuyasha, right? No word from him?"

"Right," Kagome sighed.

"Come to my place and we'll jam. No, wait. Let's tour, and name it something like 'Can't Go Home!' We can recruit all our friends who are in some kind of shit to play with us!"

Kagome giggled, raising her chin to look back up at the sky as she fixated on Myoujin again. "Who else doesn't want to go home right now? What songs would we play? _Whose_ songs should we play?"

"Hell if I know," Hideto laughed. "Seriously, though, could you imagine? Even if we had just _one_ show, where we got a bunch of friends together and covered each others' songs it would be pretty awesome."

"Aw, that sounds amazing! Oh my God, it's been a dream of mine to perform somewhere with you! You'd better not be teasing me!" Suddenly jumping up from the bench, Kagome grabbed Hideto by the wrist, startling him a little. "Come on!"

"Where to?" He laughed, allowing himself to be pulled.

"We have to go to your place! Now! Before you change your mind!"

* * *

"Hey. Welcome home."

"...I assume that you've come to my apartment because of what's in the gossip magazines. My assistants don't stop talking about it at the office. "

A full-blooded dog youkai, taller than Inuyasha, removed a pair of soft leather shoes before setting a briefcase down at the edge of the entryway. His hair was the same silvery-white color as Inuyasha's, if not a little longer and straighter than the hanyou's hair. Narrow eyes, also the same golden color as Inuyasha's, stared half-lidded with disdain from his narrow face.

"Don't be like that, Big Bro'. Didn't our old man say this place belonged to _both_ of us?"

To anyone who was not well-acquainted with Inuyasha's older brother, Sesshoumaru glared. Those who knew him, on the other hand, could recognize that his gaze had momentarily softened. The elder sibling nodded in greeting to Inuyasha.

On Sesshoumaru's black leather couch Inuyasha sat, with clawed feet propped up on a mahogany coffee table. A notebook computer sat open on his lap, shifting slightly as he stretched. Sesshoumaru took a seat next to his younger brother. "Inuyasha. Ample time has passed, but _do_ remember that you were bought out. _Fairly_, I might add. Did you... lose your house?"

"Don't worry your pretty little face, Sesshoumaru, I just need to disappear. For an indefinite amount of time. But I'll stay out of my old room- It's _yours_. Not mine anymore."

Rolling his eyes, Sesshoumaru sighed. "I own three other penthouse apartments in just this district _alone_ and you insist on coming to this one. If I'd known you'd have such... _human_ sentimentality for our childhood home I'd have sold this place."

"Then what's keeping _you_ here?" Inuyasha smirked. "Kidding. Just came to keep you company."

Sesshoumaru's facial expression did not change. "How gracious of you. However if this is your only motive for staying here, perhaps you might be able to explain why upon returning from my annual trip to Hong Kong, _my_ bedroom reeked of you. It was clear that you were doing a little more than _napping_."

Stifling a small laugh, Inuyasha shrugged a little. "Uh... hey, my bad. Old habits, and all... Glad you kept the back patio the way I left it. She was pretty mad that I dragged her all the way over here, but she _loved_ it out there."

Sesshoumaru rose from his seat, disappearing into the kitchen for a moment. He returned with a whiskey glass, filled with two double shots. "Yes, I'm sure the beer can I found helped calm her down as well. Your pop star, correct? Imagine my surprise when I noticed the scent of a very aroused human woman whom I did _not_ recognize, all over my comforter and sheets."

With a hearty laugh, Inuyasha reached into his pocket, retrieving a couple of bills, 10,000 yen each. He laid them on the couch, between he and his brother. "At least you've managed to have a sense of humor about it. Let me pay for the cleaning."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow raised again. "If you insist on reimbursing me, you're going to need a little more money than that. The comforter, and those sheets were _burned_."

"Keh! S'not _my_ fault you're a picky little princess! That's all you get!"

Rolling his eyes, Sesshoumaru pushed the money back towards his younger brother. "Keep your pocket change, and be thankful that the high thread count of my sheets prevented any need to replace the mattress- I'm quite attached to it."

"Yeah, I can see why. _She_ liked it, too."

Sesshoumaru placed his face in his palm. "Do NOT. Continue that thought aloud."

* * *

**Notes:**

Wow, you guys have really outdone yourselves- this fic won an award in the Feudal Association's best lemon category? I'm flattered to have readers at all, but am really glad that you guys have enjoyed this story to that extent. Thank you very much!

I'M SO SORRY. In December or so, I was almost done with this chapter. It got lost in a hard drive crash, so I had to rewrite EVERYTHING. There are some notable changes from this chapter's original version because I forgot the nuances necessary for making certain (unimportant) events happen (S'okay. It's better this way- got some inspiration from my Japan trip in May. Major events still don't change, anyway.) I've written this story on lots of planes and places away from home, but this is the first chapter where I got to write while IN Japan.

ALSO. There's new fanart (old and new) added to the web site at pinku. Net/fadeflare. (Remove the spaces, or just use the link in my ff. Net profile) An old one of Inuyasha and Kagome, and another pic of eight characters. Cultural notes are also up for all chapters, AND I've added a new section: a soundtrack to this fanfic. Come on, it's a story about pop stars! The soundtrack is music that inspired this story, so I made a streaming playlist; you can listen online and there are notes about each track.

Next Chapter: Sango helps out Kagome in her own way, and Miroku probably gets a Fearection because of it.


	19. 17: Doing Without

Fade and Flare

Chapter 17

Inuyasha (at least the anime, anyway) is copyright Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Yomiuri Terebi, and Sunrise 2000.

* * *

Hi, everyone. Watch out; lemon right below.

* * *

_With one hand he pressed both of her wrists above her head, restraining her against the mattress. Inuyasha dipped low, joining his lips with hers; she accepted them. Language had escaped her. She was unable to murmur his name, but her eyes caught his in those moments when he paused for breath. Soft, strangled utterances came tumbling from Kagome's lips when she exhaled, and she arched into her lover- her body curved into his, beneath the curtain of his snow-colored hair._

_A musk of sage and sandalwood lingered as she buried her face into his neck. Her lips pressed into his skin, nibbling gently at the edges of his jawline as he exhaled, his eyelids fluttering shut while she brushed him with her tongue. She wanted to pull at Inuyasha's broad shoulders, wanting him closer, but her wrists were still beneath his grip. Instead she wrapped a leg around his hips, dragging her calf down along his thigh, relishing his skin against hers. As they moved, her hips angled up towards his, brushing against him in a quiet plea for contact._

_In response he pressed his hips into her for a brief moment, his lips on hers once more. Kagome felt his arousal straining solidly against her as they made contact, and as quickly as they touched he pulled away again, determined to tease her. He pulled her bottom lip gently between his teeth, grazing her lightly. When she tried to return his kisses he'd avert himself, opting to move to her earlobe. He watched her shiver when an exhale brushed faintly past her ear. A smirk stretched across his lips as he ran the tip of his tongue against her skin. His breath tickled Kagome, sending a surge throughout her body that resonated hotly between her thighs. With a futile buck of the hips she struggled beneath him again, tempted to beg._

_Moving to her other ear Inuyasha slipped his free hand to her belly, brushing low to caress her stomach. Inuyasha moved his hands even lower, dipping briefly below the waistband of her panties, steadily closer to what she wanted him to touch. His hand slid over silk fabric, and with a smirk the devious half demon pressed his fingertips into the soaked material, rubbing roughly against her. Kagome called out a little, sliding her knees apart._

"_Please..." She concentrated to form the words. Her toes flexed. "Please, Inuyasha..."_

_He only grinned in response, softening his touch. She couldn't stand it much longer, crying out as she ground her hips. Inuyasha conceded a little, adding more pressure, rhythmically moving his fingers. Eventually he decided to make an opening for himself; a claw poked through the fabric, sliding to sever the crotch of her panties._

_He said nothing, impaling her flesh with his own, a breath twisting in his throat at her warmth. Almost losing control himself his jaw dropped open, and his gasps grew louder with each movement. Kagome called after him, moaning softly into the air._

"_Inuyasha..." Her toes flexed._

* * *

Kagome writhed in place, a smile curling across her face as she dragged a hand up along her belly. "Ah..."

"Do you... need some time alone?"

Her eyes shot open, darting around the room. Kagome began to assess her surroundings. The stale scent of tobacco lingered in the air. She sat in a living room that wasn't hers, with burning white light from the windows, empty cans of anti-hangover drinks, beer cans strewn around a crooked lacquer table, partially-eaten crackers and chips, ashtrays with cigarettes mashed into every available crevice, tambourines, a couple of guitars, a few misplaced articles of clothing, random playing cards, miscellaneous garbage, and finally Hideto, frowning at her from the other end of a black leather couch she'd curled up on.

With each passing moment her face grew redder and redder, and she eventually met her friend's sleepy gaze. Annoyed, he lay his head back onto a couch cushion. "God, you need to get laid. Thought _I_ was bad."

"No, it's not that-" She covered her face with her hands, shaking her head furiously.

"Yeah, that's why you're moaning for your boyfriend in your sleep," he grumbled, turning on one side. "Go change your panties or something, Baby."

"Hide-chan! That's terrible!"

"_So sorry_! I was busy sleeping until I heard someone making _adult_ noises... Ow, my head is exploding, I'm gonna stop talking now." The grumpy man pulled a blanket around himself.

"Sorry," she mumbled, trying to figure out what her friend had heard. "Shouldn't you move to your bedroom?"

He replied with an unintelligible noise, messily waving a hand of dismissal into the air.

In silence Kagome sulked, staring at her knees. The young woman stood, wading through the debris from last night. Aluminum cans rattled softly against everything they hit as she made her way to the bathroom. When her foot got caught in a mysterious loop of fabric- a pair of women's panties (not hers), she did not even bother to locate her slippers.

Her own head hurt from the previous night, but at this point it was nothing new. After their fateful meeting in front of her family shrine she and Hideto had become inseparable again, almost in the spirit of her younger days.

Together in his apartment, and sometimes at hers, Kagome and Hideto created new arrangements for their songs. They later tested them on an unsuspecting public- playing surprise shows at their favorite clubs in Tokyo. It didn't take long for their fans to catch wind of this. By the time they'd done a third show people packed clubs all over the place, just for a chance to see one.

Even with Kagome's dip in popularity, the venues were overflowing and rowdy. A handful of impromptu shows became a game of cat and mouse, where the two singers would leave cryptic clues about the next venue on their websites before a show each night. Concerts were high-energy, and Kagome preferred thrashing around on a stage over memorizing choreography.

Her fans were mixed. Long-time fans were ecstatic to see her playing rock again, while others were skeptical. For Hideto's fans, secret shows and collaborations were nothing new; they followed him with enthusiasm. Sometimes, Hojo's fans would come to the shows to heckle Kagome, only to be quickly quieted by the other concert goers.

Despite this there had been nights where Kagome was dodging drinks thrown by some audience members. On a night when Hideto decided to catch a beer, _with his face_, a group of his female fans made a pact to ferociously defend their idol alongside Kagome's fans. At subsequent shows there were rumors of attacks toward anyone who looked like a Hojo fan- if a girl was seen wearing a t-shirt or other merchandise with his name they'd get pushed forcibly to the back of a club, where no damage could be done. In the case that a fan would manage to slip by and throw something, it would incite a riot in the crowd.

It had been a while since Kagome had played for audience members who hated her. Her pride stung a little, but it was manageable.

"You can't interfere," Hideto often told her. "There's a delicate hierarchy in fan communities. You just can't control them. Gotta play louder, and let security handle it. Just touch some hands in the crowd and they'll keep loving you."

Nights after a concert were all the same. Shippou, under Miroku's directive, herded the pair and their band members into a van after shows, and the night would continue at Hideto's apartment. On special nights Hideto's famous bandmates like Tetsuya, other friends from popular bands, or Kagome's former bandmates would make an appearance in the show, and Shippo transported them all. At first, the fox demon would stay to take Kagome home after the festivities, but as time passed he quickly realized that Kagome was staying until she dropped.

There were only so many drunken rock stars Shippo could handle, anyway; he was often relieved to go home for the night.

Now locating her travel toothbrush in Hideto's bathroom, Kagome stood in front of the sink, slumping as she cleaned her teeth. She couldn't drink as much as her mentor could, but wasn't surprised about that, either. When he mentioned throwing parties after concerts the young woman quickly realized how serious her friend was. Hideto ritualized parties- the rowdiness from their stage show always continued at his apartment. The amount of liquor and snacks he kept in stock was just as astonishing as the rate in which they were consumed.

People sang karaoke, played drinking games, jammed on instruments, brought women, and generally made a mess of Hideto's living room at least five times a week. When Kagome first started playing shows with the rock star, she could barely keep up.

Though her alcohol tolerance went up a little more over time, she had no desire to drink as much as others did, but enjoyed the company. _Anything_ was better than being alone in that massive apartment of hers for too long.

After washing her face, she sighed contentedly into a towel, drying her skin. She'd have to borrow a pair of Hideto's pants to wear home; her leather from last night was sweaty and uncomfortable. It was enough to scratch at, as she headed to the kitchen to make some miso soup. Hideto became accustomed to waking up to Kagome's cooking, and got fussy without his favorite hangover cure. She was only happy to help- on that fateful night she'd gazed at the stars at her family shrine, asking Myouken for guidance, Kagome met her dear friend again underneath the Goshinboku. She would follow this path as far as she needed to.

* * *

"_I thought something was strange, and I should have seen the signs. When we went on the engagement trip, Kagome spent more time alone with her manager than with Hojo. It didn't make sense!"_

"_The vacation footage that other networks have been showing- is this the trip you're referring to?"_

Hayashi Yuka sat meekly in a chair, retrieving a white handkerchief from her gray blazer's breast pocket. She dabbed daintily at her cheeks.

"_Yes. I've been his manager for so long. I spent many years doing my best to take care of him, as his manager, so I was really happy for him at the time. I think Hojo's loved Kagome ever since he met her, and sometimes... even now... well, he only wants her to be happy."_

Clutching her fists, Sango resisted the urge to throw her drink at the television. When Miroku placed his hand on her shoulder, she spun around wildly, almost punching him. Luckily for her companion, Sango quickly remembered where she was and calmed down. No making messes in Miroku's living room- who knows what he might try to pull in exchange for a stained rug?

"_One of the top selling artists of all time on the Oricon charts, Higurashi Kagome shocked the country when photos of her and a lover, later identified to be her manager, were published in _Shunkan Shincho_ over three months ago. Though Hojo himself has been unavailable for comments his manager, Hayashi Yuka, has been willing to recount her experiences." _

A montage of images and video flooded the screen, mostly of Inuyasha and Kagome. Sango, in an attempt to keep her anger in check, cast her gaze to one side at Miroku. Her eyes grew large in surprise when she noticed his clenched jaw. The savvy agent normally had the infallible patience of a holy man, and one of the best poker faces she'd ever seen. Seeing him affected calmed her somehow.

After a certain point, they'd both insisted that Kagome stop watching television. New news reports and television specials were ferocious. Kagome's reclusive behavior only fueled the enthusiasm of the media. Sango hoped that Kagome truly stopped paying attention, idly wondering how Inuyasha was reacting to all of this. It became increasingly difficult to get work for Kagome these days, as no company wanted to be affiliated with the controversy.

"_After disappearing from the public for two weeks she later reemerged on stages of Tokyo clubs, performing secret shows alongside hyde, vocalist of L'Arc-en-Ciel. The sudden collaboration has surprised some fans, but each show is well received by audiences. Critics who have managed to see these shows give praise but wonder if the attendance is solely based on Kagome's recent absence-"_

"That's enough." Miroku sighed, turning the television off. He leaned back against his suede couch, a midnight blue affair, sighing as he turned his gaze towards Sango. Between them sat a pile of file folders containing lists of contacts and previous contracts with concert venues. They'd been poring through papers in search of any phone number or email address they could use to reach someone. They needed a larger venue for Kagome and Hideto's concerts.

With each call Miroku and Sango had been met with hesitation, despite the success of the club shows. Hideto's manager and agent were also bewildered at the lack of cooperation. The combined record sales for both stars was downright historical, but no venue would book them. Each place cited a man whose directive they followed- one Hayashi Kenshiro.

Sango didn't realize they were related until the name was dropped, newly annoyed that Hayashi Yuka would have other family members butt into her grudge.

"You'd think the media would be sick of this by now." Sango lamented, finishing her tea. "The way they hunt her down is almost vindictive! As soon as they found a fault with her it's like they can't do anything but try to take her down." She stood, bringing her cup to the kitchen before returning. "Well, I'm outta here."

Miroku frowned. "What do you mean? My dear, we haven't finished our little project."

"No- No, we haven't," she replied, having walked out towards the entryway. Miroku followed her, pouting as Sango slipped on her shoes. "Which is why I think we need some help. Real professionals. You coming?"

"Wha?"

"Eloquent," Sango smirked. "Well, come with me if you're interested. Or not. Doesn't really matter."

"With an invitation like that, how could I resist?" Soon Miroku had his shoes on.

* * *

She drove him out to the suburbs, into Saitama Prefecture and its city of the same name, to the outskirts. At the speed in which Sango drove it must have taken under an hour. Miroku was intrigued at how deftly she wove through traffic, and was mildly surprised that her driving didn't appear to be reckless. His heart was pounding for other reasons, as he watched her.

The movements flowed like water, maybe just as she did when she moved or twisted to punch him if his hand wandered too far. Every so often during the drive Miroku checked in the mirror, worried his jaw hung a little too low as he looked at her. He was silently thankful that Sango was too engrossed in driving to notice his dumbfounded face. It was embarrassing how little he could do to control himself.

"We're almost there," she mumbled, and he turned towards his passenger window in Sango's black Lexus. The young man's eyes lulled along the blurring landscape of single and double-storied buildings that lined the roads. Sango's seats were _so_ comfortable. This was a really nice car, even nicer than his own.

Miroku quirked an eyebrow at that thought—did she make more money than him? Maybe she was just more savvy about finances than he was.

They'd turned one last corner in an affluent neighborhood, before reaching an older family residence. It sat behind huge, heavy wooden gates, its entire perimeter enclosed in stone walls. A traditional roof peeked out from the upper edges of those walls, as well as some nicely manicured plants and shrubbery, uniformly cut in spherical shapes. Sango pulled up along the sidewalk, parking the car, and hopping quickly out of her seat. She blinked at Miroku, who was wrapped up in staring at the gate.

"You staying in the car? I gotta lock the door."

"Oh!" He scrambled up, out of the car and closed the door behind him sheepishly. "Sorry, I was just noticing how lovely this home looks. Do you know these people well?"

She laughed, leading him toward the gate as she pushed its doors apart. "This is my family home."

"BOSS!" There was a resounding yell, from several energetic young men in suits. If Miroku hadn't been well-practiced at keeping his cool he would have jumped out of his skin right that second.

"Welcome home, Boss!" The men lined up along the path upon which Sango walked, and Miroku could feel the weight of maybe ten or more intimidating glares as he followed behind her, trying not to shrink as he moved.

"Don't call me that," She laughed. "You know I'm not taking over the family business. The Yamaguchi name is better suited for my brother, after all. Oh! This is my co-worker, Miroku! Be nice to him, he's Kagome-chan's agent."

"Nice to meet you," Miroku replied, bowing to the men. They lost interest in him and began to circle around Sango, chattering.

Meanwhile, as he followed Sango to the house, Miroku paused, taking in his surroundings.

The home had massive walls. This usually meant a desire for privacy. That wasn't strange. They also reflected a desire for safety- still not strange. Historically, fortification meant that you were constantly at war... But this wall wasn't a holdover from the past; its materials were modern.

Who were all of these men hanging around the house? Surely not all of them were relatives.

Why were they calling Sango, "Boss?"

As Miroku entered the house with Sango, taking off his shoes as she did, and muttering a greeting before entering, they had come to meet an older man, who sat at a low table in a formal tatami room.

"Hello, Father," Sango bowed deeply to this man, dressed in a hakama and haori, with expensive embroidery. They both entered the room.

_Yamaguchi?_ Miroku had seen his face in the news, more than once! These people were…

"Yakuza?" Miroku gasped, beneath his breath. His eyes bugged out when Sango turned to look at him inquisitively.

"Did you say something?" She blinked.

"I-it is an honor to meet you. Please be kind to me," the young man mumbled, bowing a couple of times before taking a seat.

"Hello." Sango's father smiled, bowing slightly. "Sango, to what do I owe this sudden visit?" His eyes sparkled as he warmly regarded his daughter. "Have you come to see Kouhaku? He's out working at the moment."

"No, though I'm not against seeing him," she replied, with a soft grin on her face. "I need your advice and guidance." Her expression hardened as it had earlier that day. "Normally I wouldn't come to you to help solve my problems, but I suspect the other side is playing dirty. I'm at a loss as to what to do next."

A woman in a cotton yukata entered the room, holding a tray of tea and snacks. _Sango's mother?_ Miroku dismissed the thought as soon as he noticed that Sango had not given the woman any glance of recognition beyond thanking her as they were served. As Sango spoke, the young man found that he was unable to absorb the conversation. When people looked to him for a reply, all he could manage to do was bow quietly or nod before turning his gaze back to Sango, whose expression was tense as she spoke with her father.

"I'll have them call you when we figure out the time and place," Sango's father said with finality. Miroku stood when everyone else did, following the small procession out the door of the large home. He walked in a daze as he followed Sango and her father out the door, and as he retrieved his shoes and followed them out of the house. He barely registered the resounding roars from the thugs outside as Sango left, and as the gates of the house closed behind them.

Once they'd returned to the car and began their drive back to Tokyo, Sango finally spoke up.

"So, what do you think? Are you okay with something like this?"

"Huh?" Miroku's broke out of his distracted gaze out the window. "I, uh… I trust you?"

Sango paused, taking a second to look at Miroku. "You slack-jawed idiot."

_That_ got his attention. Miroku quickly closed his mouth.

"You've been vacant the whole time. My _God,_ I was embarrassed for you at some points."

His smile was sheepish, as he turned to her. There was a long pause between them as Sango continued to weave through traffic. "You… you're a Yamaguchi? You're a… a…"

"Oh, _no_! I'm not a... ugh." Sango rolled her eyes. "_Yes,_ this man is my father, and yes, I suppose our family happens to be the historical one that's existed for hundreds of years in a profession I dare not name, but I decided to go my own way. I wanted a simpler life."

Still stammering in his seat, Miroku managed a reply. "...So you decided to become a stylist for one of the most famous pop stars in Japan. This is 'simpler?'"

"Touche. But I promise it _is_."

He grinned. For another moment they were both silent.

"..._Seriously_, Miroku? You didn't happen to notice _all the guys_ Kouhaku had standing guard at Kagome's home? You didn't realize why people were leaving her alone? Black Mercedes. Tinted windows. Single number plates!"

Miroku slapped his forehead with his palm. "Wow,_"_ he managed. Sango laughed.

"I hope you don't think any less of me," she giggled. "No, honestly," she sighed, with a more sober tone. "People treat me differently when they find out who my family is. Being shunned doesn't feel good, but being on a pedestal isn't much different sometimes."

Miroku could find few words. "N-never." _But,_ he reasoned, _Not all pedestals were bad._

* * *

Nobody could take nights like this away from her. They hadn't lost their novelty, and Kagome hadn't been any less excited about performing than when she'd first started, back when these tiny venues where the biggest she could manage. Nothing roared like six hundred screaming people sardined together onto a small dance floor. In front of the stage was where the crowd was the thickest and rowdiest. There were times when she couldn't hear Hideto's guitar or her own voice over the screaming and singing along.

It was a feeling you couldn't really replicate in an arena show, and she'd avoided doing small shows for such a long time because demand for her concerts was too high. Even now she was amazed at how people's enthusiasm still managed to affect hers, and all she could do was play harder and sing louder as she shared the microphone with her dear friend.

Their harmonies were natural, and Hideto, in his element just as she was, needed no cue or rehearsal for his backup singing. It was clear to Kagome that he really knew her songs as well as she'd known his as a teenager, knew all the cues and breaks, and could adapt pop instrumentals to his guitar solos. Her heart swelled; despite all the things that happened between them it had never occurred to her that her musical idol would ever pay this much attention to her work.

The audience roared into the intermission; the cheering never let up. After the main set the chanting for an encore stayed just as loud, and after the encore set, the whole band got rowdy. Hideto dove into the crowd, rode the audience, and asked (on the microphone) to be carried back to the stage. Kagome laughed as the audience complied, and said her final goodbyes for the night before going backstage.

"That was great! That's so great, I've gotta do that again! In a bigger place, like Budokan!" Kagome's mentor called behind her, jogging to catch up.

"You're ridiculous," she laughed. "I'd be afraid to get touched in, um, unwelcome places." Kagome leaned on Hideto's shoulder as they walked to the dressing room.

"What do you mean? Like _this_?" Hideto grabbed at Kagome's sides where she was ticklish and watched his friend scream, squirming away from him.

"Stop! Stop it," she laughed, swatting at him. "You jerk!" Kagome giggled, finally sighing against the dressing room door.

"What are you guys doing out there?" A voice called from inside. "Hey Hideto, your phone's been whining since we got here."

"Right!" The rock star pulled open the door. "Probably Ichi," he mumbled, smiling at Kagome. "He's coming tomorrow morning!"

"That's right. I forgot!" She grinned, watching her mentor practically leap towards his cell phone. The other bandmates were sprawled out in chairs, shirts off and towels hanging off of their necks. Heading over towards her section of a shared dressing table, she dug at a pile of her street clothes, unearthing her purse.

She almost missed it- a single, sterling silver rose rolled off the top of the pile as she lifted her purse. A sharp thump sounded in her chest, and for a moment it was all she heard, staring blankly at the flower.

"Kagome! Water. Catch!"

Barely registering what Shippou had said as he burst into the room, she blinked dumbly. A plastic bottle tagged her in the arm, rolling to the floor. She absently reached for the spot it hit.

"Oh no, sorry!" Shippo ran towards her.

"You okay?" Akio, Kagome's drummer from her early days and bandmate for this week, picked up the water bottle. He set it down on the table in front of her. "Baby?"

The nickname, from her high school days, broke her out of her trance. Kagome's hand jolted towards the rose, hoisting it into the air for everyone to see. "Guys? Does this belong to someone?"

When there was no response, Akio chuckled. "Looks like it's yours." He was confused to see the shocked glance that Shippo exchanged with Kagome.

"I don't smell him," Shippo murmured.

"But that's meaningless," Kagome answered quietly. "Could be a delivery."

"Yeah..."

"Are you guys okay?" Akio asked, looking at the other clueless bandmates.

Without warning, Kagome thrust her fist into her purse, retrieving her cell phone. She grabbed a t-shirt from the pile of street clothes on her table and ran into the restroom, locking the door behind her.

She jammed her thumbnail into a button, speed-dialing Inuyasha. As Kagome cast off her black leather top and bra underneath, she turned on the phone's speaker setting, leaving it on the counter as she toweled her sweat off. Its ringing echoed in the room as she misted her skin with body spray. Sitting on the closed lid of the toilet, with forearms resting on her legs, Kagome hunched over her lap as the phone continued to ring. When the phone clicked, she shot to her feet.

"_Kagome_."

Her heart jumped, possibly out of her chest...

"_I'm serious. Miroku's gonna be your new manager, Honey._"

...And rocketed back down into her stomach. He hadn't even changed the greeting? Either way, Kagome was thankful the number was still active, even if Inuyasha didn't seem to use it. There was a pause, a beep, and finally Kagome let her eyes meet with the reflection in the mirror. For a moment her hand grabbed for the phone, intending to end the call, but stopped.

"D-did you... did you leave me something tonight?" With a wavering voice she continued. "Inuyasha... it's me. Kagome. I found something in my dressing room after the show. Um..." Her eyes scanned for her bra, and she put it back on. "No. No, this isn't fair. It's been almost three months, Inuyasha, this isn't fair! You can't just... you can't just disappear and then do this... um, if it was you." Her eye makeup ran in black streaks down her face with tears that Kagome couldn't control.

"Sorry," she finally sobbed. "It's probably nothing. I'm sorry." The phone clapped shut. Sinking back down to the toilet seat, she didn't fight her sobs, but turned on the water in the sink to rinse her face, glad it would also hide the sound.

* * *

When she exited the restroom, Kagome was met with the uncomfortable glances of her bandmates and Shippou.

"Hey, we've stayed a little too long," Shippou ventured. Too many fans outside now, and the club can't clean up until we go."

"Right. Sorry..."

"No, no, it's still cool. But go find Takarai, we haven't seen him since he answered his phone." The fox youkai held a duffel bag in his hand. "I, uh, gathered all your stuff. Gimme those clothes in your hand and I'll take care of it."

As if on cue, Hideto burst into the dressing room. "We're getting _drunk_ tonight!"

Kagome blinked. "But... what about tomorrow?"

"I decided to have _you guys_ over. Call over your lady friends, Akio-kun!"

Kagome frowned, eyeing the rose that Shippo now held.

"Baby!" Hideto growled.

"Yeah?" She answered, plucking the flower from the fox demon's grasp.

"I hope you didn't make plans, because you've gotta be in on this tonight. Got some beer imported from Germany, and everything!"

"Sounds great, Hide-chan!" Kagome held the rose out to him, which he took, grinning a little. "Here, someone left this. My gift to you!"

"Best pal ever, right here, guys." Throwing an arm around Kagome's shoulder, Hideto led them both out of the dressing room, followed by Shippou and the bandmates in a small procession. The young woman focused on his face. He could fool everyone else, but she could see the hurt, carved subtly into his features. Why wasn't his son coming tomorrow? She'd have to ask later.

_Hide-chan's more accustomed to drowning out pain than I am,_ she silently realized.

* * *

**Notes:**

I'm always apologizing for the slow updates, but that's life, I guess. I really, _really_ meant to post this in 2012, but I hit a wall on how to write that last scene, and art and comics are always my bigger focus. Honestly if this fic wasn't so huge in scope it would have been a comic, too!

Hmm, it's been a while. Someone mentioned how they hoped Kagome and Inuyasha would be more open with their feelings and communicate (like how Hojo failed to), IIRC. I get where you're coming from, but TBH it's not particularly Japanese to wear your thoughts or feelings on your sleeve and state them so plainly, and it really makes me uncomfortable to see it all over the place in fanfiction (feelings are understated compared to westerners, but because of that, they're very impactful when people say important things. Please know that when it happens in this fic, that's some major shit going down!).

Let me give you an example- my friend and I were on a train in Tokyo, and some guys were hitting on us. A guy said, "Let's go drinking in Ikebukuro!" and right in front of everyone in the train, I outright said, "No, we don't want to."

You don't say, "No" to invitations, to anyone; it's incredibly rude. It's _so_ rude. Because I'm a foreigner there people think I've just casually messed up by doing that, but I knew what I was saying. The proper way to turn someone down is to literally say, "Unfortunately it's inconvenient." and then you say you have plans.

That's why there's miscommunication to raise suspense and drama in anime/manga/j-drama/etc. There're just things you DO NOT SAY unless the world is ending, and even then, you don't friggin say them unless you're willing to swallow every stupid ounce of pride and shed every thread of shame! (Which might cause the world to end.) Actions, body language, and implication are how to know what someone is feeling. It's in line with other beliefs that fuel actions in Japan (looking at the whole picture instead of just a message; it's why your place in a group is so important there, too- you demonstrate the entire picture of where you're from and where you belong when you do something as casual as wearing your school uniform to a public event. A family name precedes a given name because the group affiliation- your circumstances, your whole picture- is most important. We focus on situations surrounding an event, and use those to tell us what the event will be. So, in this chapter Kagome knows Hideto's upset that his son isn't coming because of the circumstances.) Yes, westerners do this too, but I can't emphasize enough how much more important this type of communication is than it would be in western culture. To us, what seems subtle is actually plainly said, and that's why misunderstandings (or ignoring someone's implications) are so much more irritating in TV shows there. (On a side note, it's also why foreigners can make people uncomfortable there, or anywhere, really- it's one thing to know a spoken language, but it's another to understand conduct.)

Cultural notes will be on the site (pinku dot net slash fadeflare as usual) when I get free time, and maybe I'll move this little rant there, too. But, I have to talk about the yakuza stuff a little. Ha ha ha...

Next: Hayashi Yuka, watch your back!


End file.
